


No Credit/Cash Only

by ReyDoneGoofed



Series: Fake AH crew AU [2]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Grand Theft Auto Setting, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Female Jack Pattillo, Florist shop, GTA AU, Gen, Immortal Fake AH Crew, M/M, Minor Character Death, Murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Tags Contain Spoilers, Tags May Change, Temporary Character Death, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 04:05:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14866275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyDoneGoofed/pseuds/ReyDoneGoofed
Summary: TAGS CONTAIN SPOILERS.Ray was just a normal guy who ran a normal flower and herb shop. He had a normal life until an incident occurred which forced him to buy a gun. Ray was on the gun store website when he noticed big bold letters atop his screen that read: NO CREDIT/CASH ONLY. He'd have to visit the bank if he wanted to get his money without the fear of getting robbed at an ATM.





	1. Innocence.

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter Log:  
> 1: Innocence.  
> 2: Lost  
> 3: Guns (Luck.)  
> 4: Vagabond (Murderer And Coward.)  
> 5: Hypocrisy (BrownMan.)  
> 6: Overdose me on your blood.  
> 7: Legends.  
> 8: Heist PT 1.  
> 9: Heist PT 2.  
> 10: 3-6-B-Z-ALPHA.  
> 11: Pugnacity.  
> 12: Aftermath.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TAGS CONTAIN SPOILERS. 
> 
> Ray was just a normal guy who ran a normal flower and herb shop. He had a normal life until an incident occurred which forced him to buy a gun. Ray was on the gun store website when he noticed in big bold letters atop his screen red: NO CREDIT/CASH ONLY. He'd have to visit the bank if he wanted to get his money without the fear of getting robbed at an ATM.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my wonderful friend Nes for beta-ing this chapter even though she has no idea who these people are. Also, if you would like to see art for this story it will be linked once finished by my lovely girlfriend (@qt33pi on Tumblr.)
> 
> Follow my Tumblr for updates/ news on my fics!  
> Tumblr

        Ray continued to look down at his DS, ignoring the loud city sounds that leaked with the heat through his open door. The life of a florist, dealing pot in the back, was dull. Ray never saw any real excitement: Half the cops bought from him, so he was practically legit anyway. Occasionally Ray would hear the familiar, yet terrifying, sounds of gunfire or car crashes, but the New Yorker was used to such things.

 

        Ray was a freelancer with his pot biz, and he only did it to get enough cash to keep the traditional flowers growing, and grow the occasional fruit too; Mrs. Jackson in the neighboring building used to grow tomatoes in her garden before her old house was torn down in a city gentrification project.

 

        “Fuckin’ bureaucrats,” He mumbled thinking about what the older woman had told him, he had a soft spot for innocent old people, sue him.

 

        The street that Ray lived on with his florist shop and the greenhouse was, so far, unoccupied by any specific Los Santos gang; it was neutral territory, a rare yet beautiful thing fully ossified in stagnation.

 

        The Puerto Rican had done his best in New York to break the stereotype and stay out of gang-related activities. He knew it was a surefire way to shorten his lifespan.

 

        The 19-year-old sighed, watching his DS battery blink red. He saved his game and shut the device, quickly hopping off of his shoddy bar stool, behind his register counter. Ray plugged the bubblegum pink DS onto its charger.

 

        Everything was business as usual.

 

\--

 

        On the other side of the mountains in Blaine County, Geoff Ramsey sat at a rotting desk with a phone pressed to his ear, in an evermore rotting country warehouse. The man sighed tapping a small mound of paper against the wood.

 

        “Ah, Dicks,” He sat the burner down on top of his papers. Geoff rubbed at the quickly forming headache, reaching through the dirty air to retrieve an almost empty bottle of dollar store cheap whiskey. As Geoff poured the liquor, his burner buzzed with a new message.

 

 

 

> **_From: Number, Unknown_ **
> 
> _The bank charges 20% interest each week._

 

        Geoff grabbed an older and more damaged burner phone from his desk drawer. The frequently drunk man quickly selected speed dial number 7, before he could dwell any further. Two rings later and Geoff was forcing any anxiety away to speak.

 

        “Jack, How's it been lately?” He asked, opening the top manilla folder from his pile.

 

        “What trouble have you gotten into and how do you expect me to bail you out of it?” Jack Pattillo deadpanned and continued stitching up a man on the top of mount chiliad.

 

        “What tells you I'm in trouble? Is it a crime to check up on your friends?” Geoff sagged in his chair, before standing up and wandering around his makeshift office.

 

        “I'd hope so, Geoff, we're criminals, all we do is commit crimes, 'course it doesn't help that you haven't returned my calls for eighteen months,” Jack replied with a tinge of annoyance in her voice, “Not that I don't enjoy this phone call, but I currently have a needle shoved through a man's calf: Get to the point.”

 

        “Jack, I'm planning something fun, and I need you on board for this to go smoothly,” Ramseys smile was obvious in his voice. “It's not a one time gig.”

 

        A muffled curse sounded from Jacks end of the call.

 

        “Alright, I'm in.”

 

\--

 

        Rays eyes snapped up as he heard the distinct sounds of gunshots and screams. The young adult went over to his shop door in the hopes to lock it. Before he could, a figure shoved through the already damaged door, subsequently slamming the lanky shop owner onto the floor.

 

        “Fuck,” Ray opened his eyes seeing humanoid shapes and spots floating around. He moved a hand up to press against the ache in his skull; his hand came back wet with blood.

 

        Ray woke up unable to remember when he fell unconscious. He opened his eyes realizing he was still laying on the floor. He suddenly thought about the last time he cleaned the dark wood floors, it was almost two months ago. For a moment the shop owner silently contemplated the rate of infection from open wounds not being treated.

 

        The young adult took that moment to notice that the crappy tv he propped up on a table in the corner was playing something. He listened as the news spoke of some crime duo sweeping Los Santos in a storm, that is if storms tagged every store they hit with a surprisingly well-painted picture of dynamite next to a ragged smiley face.

 

        Ray slowly started sitting up feeling a wave of dizziness envelope his mind as he did.

 

        “Fucking-” He hissed in pain, pressing his eyes closed until the dizzying feeling subsided a bit.

 

        Opening his eyes, Ray spotted his purple hoodie hanging on the counter, he didn't remember moving- or taking the said jacket off. Narvaez looked around confused when he located the first aid kit that he had forgotten that he owned, laying open next to him. Bloodied gauze crumbled next to the small dusty box. The 19-year-old stood and slowly checked through the entire shop as best he could with the apparent concussion; nobody was there.

 

        He checked his cash register expecting it to be empty, it was. Narvaez sighed before deciding: “Fuck that, I’m going to sleep.”

 

        A few hours later, Ray went to check his mail as per usual, it contained a card that had a teddy bear on it and had “Get well soon!” in print followed by:

 

        “Sorry, my friend messed up your head! Hope you don't die! P.s taking the cash was not my idea, your shop is top by the way!”

 

        “Oh yay, polite criminals,” Sarcasm laced his voice intimately.

 

\--

 

        “I can't believe you took the cash, Michael! I mean did you see how much his head was bleeding?!”

 

        “And I still cannot believe the best hacker in the fucking city can't fucking shoot for shit, now shut up and help me figure out a new codename, I was thinking Sun, Rage Quit's bad for business,” Michael Jones rolled his eyes at the green-eyed man in front of him.

 

        “But Michael-” Gavin free started to whine at his friend but was quickly cut off.

 

        “Send him a card and get the fuck over it,” Geoff Ramsey's voice proclaimed into the room. The two younger males attempted to draw their weapons at seemingly inhuman speed. Gavin's gun caught on his belt loop, causing the foreigner to flounder and fall.

 

        “Thank fuck I'm not here to kill you two dickheads or wow you'd be deader than dead,” The drunk man smiled at the two.

 

        “How the fuck did you get in here?” Michael demanded.

 

        “Geoffrey? Michael its fine I know him, it's been a- ow shite- awhile,” Gavin stood up clumsily knocking his hand against the gun too hard.

 

        “Hey Gavvers, I need you and Mogar here, to join me with a thing, it's gonna be something fun,” The older man's eyes were wild in excitement to the prospect of joining up with his old contacts.

 

        “Mogar? What the fuck is that?” Michael moved his gun down but didn't relax in the slightest.

 

        “I 'dunno I just made it up,” Geoff shrugged.

 

        “Gav, I totally found my new codename,” Michael smiled wildly.

 

        “So does that mean you're in?” Geoff asked expectantly.

 

        “I'm in if you're in Boi,” Michael shrugged looking at Gavin who smiled and nodded.

 

        "I'm always in for some mischief, you mingy prick."

 

\--

 

        A black skull mask took hold of his gun and fired. Bang. The satisfaction of a good kill sweeping over the man in sporadic waves, the near euphoric feeling left The Vagabond smiling as he pulled his phone, taking a bloody picture of the corpse. Snap.

 

        “Everything's fine. New city, new people, new jobs. The whole nine yards. I talked about tomatoes, everything's normal- Noone has any idea,” He vocalized to himself, saturating the hushed dead air with a steady voice.

 

        The Vagabond placed his crown of death and lies upon his head once more, donning his infamous name. He had a good feeling about Los Santos. Good for him, not for the city.

 

        The mad king planned to make this city his throne to sit upon and sneer.

 

\--

 

        Ray needed to leave, he wanted to escape, run away to any other city, but every other city is the same isn't it? Wrong, no city could be as bad as Los Santos, Ray was sure of it. The Puerto Rican had seen the difference between New York and Los Santos, he's heard the carnage, he's seen it for fuck's sake. But where would he go? There was nowhere for him, not anymore. He couldn't go back east, and he certainly had no friends to help him get away.

 

        Ray quickly found himself in a predicament, a very sour position. So the teen decided to do the only thing he could: He consulted on Tumblr and Reddit. The strangers of the internet had all quickly informed him and suggested he do many different things. Mostly, people just told him to go buy a gun, a better lock for his door, and of course, called him a pussy.

 

        _So that's what Ray was gonna do._

 

        The brown haired male stood nervously in his own shop, googling different Ammunation locations. They were mostly in the crappiest parts of the city, and the ones that weren't, were up north near Sandy Shores: Redneck county. Not the best place for a young, short, skinny, minority kid like him.

 

        “Oh fuck me,” Ray mumbles as he looks over the gun stores website. No Credit/Cash Only was written in big bold letters across the screen. “Who doesn't take credit? It's like 2018 or something like that” Ray asked out loud. Now he's gonna have to find a time to go to the bank; the bank was a lot safer than the shitty store ATM's.

 

\--

 

        “Okay Geoff I'm here, now are you gonna tell me what exactly you're planning, or do I have to hug it out of you?” Jack asked as she waltzed into Geoff's shitty warehouse.

 

        “No fuckin' way, Jack!?” Michaels' voice boomed across the small expanse of the warehouse, causing the only woman to stop abruptly.

 

        “I take it you two know each other?” Geoff raised an eyebrow, looking over at the Brit to see if he knew about this. Gavin shrugged, they both diverted their attention in time to see Michael and Jack hugging. The hug wasn't some love thing it was an obvious bro-hug filled with some Hey-I-missed-you-you-were-kinda-chill emotions.

 

        “Michael crashed at my place when he first moved here, I think it was during that six-month-long argument over your drinking habits,” Jack helpfully informed Geoff.

 

        “Right, well, that's top an all, but we really should get to discussin’ whats goin’ on,” Gavin bounced on the balls of his feet as he spoke. The lad was seemingly filled to the brim with excitement or interest. The two happily reunited friends nodded in agreement.

 

        “Right!” Geoff claps his hands together. “First things first, I'm thinkin’ ‘bout forming a crew. And not just any crew, no, this one has to run more like- like a mob. We have to be family first. Obviously not blood family, but family. The one thing that always crashes and burns a crew is internal issues. So, we gotta snuff them out by making us so close that our fights don't mean shit. That's all I can tell you until you decide that you're in. I know this might take some to-" Geoff explained but quickly was cut off by the two closest to Geoff, simultaneously agreeing to be in it.

 

        “Well shit, if they're both in, I am too,” Michael shrugged scratching the back of his neck as he spoke.

 

        “Okay, obviously we can't pull high-stake-heists until we have more resources, I'm the boss and the planner, Every decision goes through me first," Geoff looked to the only woman. "Jack, you're the second in command, slash medic. Gavin, you're our hacker, and since you're stupidly good at schmoozing and making people feel comfortable and in control around your clumsy dumbness, you'll have to talk to people. Michael, you're good with demo right? You're our explosives expert and the main gunner, you'll also be our getaway driver alongside Jack,” Geoff walked over to his rotting desk as he spoke. The man pulled out the manila folder and opened it showing files on all four of them.

 

        Everyone equally imagined some weird crime movie heist planning, member montage go through. Shitty movie effects and all.

 

        “Geoff I think you're missing something, whos our tank? Our intimidation guy, and we also need a support guy maybe heavy guns or range, hell maybe both of those things. We at least need three more people if not more,” Jack lectured following the man to the stack of papers.

 

        “I know that's why right now I'm looking for more candidates. I might hold an audition,” The curly mustache-wearing man jested. “Before we have anybody other than ourselves scrambling to get in, we're gonna need to make a name for ourselves; and I mean that literally, what the fuck is our name gonna be?”

 

        “What about the FAHC?” Gavin's voice perked up in a stroke of genius.

 

        “The what?” The explosive redhead asked getting ready to protest.

 

        “The FAHC. F-A-H-C Stands for Fake Achievement Hunters Crew, y’know like a twist on what we call our game night?”

 

        The other three stared at the lanky brit for what seemed like an eternity.

 

        “Jack, can you repeat what that dumbass said? I can't tell if that was stupid or genius,” Geoff stood looking around like his entire world was just flipped, Fresh Prince Of Bel Air style.

 

        “We should name our crew Fake Achievement Hunters. FAHC for short,” Jack shrugged.

 

        “Its lamer than I thought. Fuck it, we're the fakes boys, and lady,” Geoff smiled, his excitement from earlier returning tenfold.

 

\--

 

        Ray was ready to explode. He shook himself for a second before jumping off of his seat, the jittering feeling barely subsiding with use of his limbs. The bell hanging in front of his shop door rang out loudly before the 19-year-old could dwell on his unsettled feeling.

 

        “Uh hi, I was uh wondering if you could hulji- help me with something.”

 

        "Dude, did you just mess up the word help?" Ray instinctively laughed as he paused his game.

 

        "Look I flub small words a lot okay."

 

        Ray looked up and stopped, seeing the attractive older man in front of him, "Uh yeah no that's- that's fine. Um, what- did you need?"

 

        "I moved in next door and my neighbor Ms. Jackson? asked if I could bring her some tomatoes from you?"

 

        "Oh! Right, Mrs. Jackson. Yeah, hold on," Ray quickly excused himself from the room, before returning with a bag full of large red tomatoes. Ray tried not to, he really did, but the younger man did a full swan-dive into the strikingly blue eyes of the man in front of him.

 

        "Thanks, I'm James by the way," The blue-eyed man smiled warmly.

 

        'Too good to be true' was the first thing Rays brain supplied after the new neighbor exited the shop.

 

\--

 

        Geoff woke up to his phone blasting Katy Perry's firework. He sighed heavily and answered the call.

 

        "This better be good Gav."

 

Gavin frantically paced his own apartment, occasionally stopping to look at his computer.

 

        "I was looking through my security cams for another job I was on, and I smegging saw him! He executed my client. What if I'm next? What if he's coming after all of my clients' contacts? What if he goes after Michael?"

 

        "What? Hol- hold on, hold on. Slow down, what are you talking about?" The man slowly sat up.

 

        "The bloody Vagabond, east coasts very own Mad King is in Los Santos taking jobs!"

 

        A green light went off in Geoff's head.

 

        "Great, let's see if we can recruit him, I was thinking we can start hitting stores and lead up to a good ol' bank robbery," Geoff yawned.

 

        "Geoff! No, what if he kills Michael, or me, or-or jack- or bloody you!"

 

        "If he works for us he won't kill you. Just make sure not to piss him off or whatever," The crew leader rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. "If he's taking jobs then I'm sure he's not hard to get in contact with anyway."

 

        "Can't we treat it like a U.S democracy and have a vote?" Gavin asked hopefully, feeling too uneasy about the masked man.

 

        "Nope, in the land of Geoff, we have a dictatorship, sorry kiddo. But don't worry, if he even so much as gets close to hurting you or the others I'll rip him to shreds so tiny an ant wouldn't even be able to take it," Something dark entered Ramsey's voice as he said this.

 

        Gavin reluctantly agreed and said his goodbyes to the man. The older man immediately called Jack, not caring about the late hour.

 

        “Yeah?” The sleep ridden voice of the only female within the crew vibrated.

 

        “I heard this funny story from Gavin.”

 

        “Oh yeah?” Jack sighed running a hand over her face.

 

        “Yeah, apparently the vagabond is in town and I was thinking-"

 

        “No.”

 

        “Listen, Jack, just hear me out okay?”

 

        “Geoff, you're looking for a family, the vagabond won't be family.”

 

        “Yes, I know, but he's an ally we can't afford to lose. If we have him on our payroll someone else won't have him on theirs.”

 

        “Okay, I admit that's probably correct.”

 

        “Probably? Jack, it is!”

 

        “Why do you want him? We don't need him, he's insane.”

 

        “Yes we do, Jack, we need him on our side.”

 

        Jack sighed, “If you're sure.”

 

        “I am,” Geoff said with absolute certainty.

 

        “Then I'm with you, I trust you, Geoff.”

 

        “Thank you,” The crew leader hung up his call, took a deep breath and turned to his computer.

 

        The way you attract jobs is the same way that you give them. The internet was a wonderful place. Geoff put out an APB for the masked murderer. The best way to get the attention of a psychopath is to send someone to kill him. Preferably, someone, you don't care about.

 

\--

 

        “Who sent you the job?” The mad king dove his Gerber Mark I farther into the woman's shoulder. _She screamed._

 

        “Ramsey! Geoff Ramsey, h-he’s -he’s- he’s," She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to steady her breathing. "He’s starting a crew. I-I don't know why, please,” The bloody woman lamented. She pulled on her restraints and attempted to survey the room for a way out. There was none. _She screamed._

 

        The cold room was pitch black, save for a single light swinging gently over the tortured woman. The vagabond circled the Light like a shark, a ghost within the darkness.

 

        “Ramsey?” The vagabond sighed, “I don't need you anymore,” The masked man took hold of his gun. He pulled the trigger. Bang. The woman slumped over, blood pouring from her head, brain matter and blood spatter sprayed on the cement behind her. The vagabond stood, lowering his gun and wracking his brain for why Ramsey would send someone after him, “Geoff should know-” The realization dawned on him, and his mouth made the shape of a large circle as he droned out, "Ohhhhhh huh."

 

        The vagabond left the garage that he had turned into his makeshift torture chamber. The dark dressed killer opened the door to a shiny black 2017 McLaren P1 LM and drove promptly away.

 

\--

 

        Ray calmly filled out the order receipt as a stressed out bride-to-be nervously raked her eyes across the oddly arranged flowers and herbs.

 

        "Aight so your total with the discount will be $1,786 and 52," Ray looked up at the woman in pity as she took a deep breath and nodded. She handed over a credit card with shaking fingers. A few moments later he sent the poor woman on her way right before marking in his calendar the delivery date for her bulk order.

 

        Ray unmuted his tv just in time for the newsbreak on the string of robberies that had been occurring since Thursday last week.

 

        "And we see here that each store that had been robbed was spray painted with these four letters: F-A-H-C. Authorities so far have not released any theories on the criminals."

 

        Ray sighed shaking his head.

 

\--

 

        "-ur letters: F-A-H-C. Authorities so far have not released any theories on the criminals."

 

        "Were fucking famous boi!" Michael yelled jumping on the worn down couch almost spilling Gavin's beer in the process. The Brit smiled widely at his best friend and agreed.

 

        Geoff smiled at the two youngest crew members before his fondness was cut off by the shrill sound of a phone going off. The boss frowned perplexed by the device as he pulled it out of his pockets. His notification read: New text, Unknown ID.

 

 

 

> _**Unknown** : I got your message, it didn't last very long. -V_
> 
>  
> 
> _**Geoff** : Good, I need some help keeping up shop. Whaddya say, old friend?_
> 
>  
> 
> _**Unknown** : Oh Ramsey, you know we were never friends._
> 
>  
> 
> _Geoff: Different times._
> 
>  
> 
> _**Unknown** : Well, I've never been interested in philanthropy... Paycheck?_
> 
>  
> 
> _**Geoff** : Steady._
> 
>  
> 
> _**Unknown** : Interesting, I'll bite._
> 
>  

        "Hey, Geoff, who'er you texting?" Gavin asked with his head cocked.

 

        "Our newest recruit," The boss said cryptically before walking out of the makeshift living room.

 

        "Jack, He's on board."

 

        "Really? Damn, okay, are you still sure about this?"

 

        "Absolutely," Geoff nodded.

 

        Jack shrugged and sighed.

 

        The next day Geoff ran into the living room at the sound of screams and squawks, gun ready. Geoff sighed lowering his gun at the sight. The Vagabond stood menacingly at the opposite end of the room to Michael and Gavin, who are now searching frantically for their guns.

 

        "Lads, calm down. He's with us," The resident drunk put away his own gun and nodded to the Vagabond. "Give the children their guns back."

 

        The Vagabond made a small motion with his head seemingly rolling his eyes before handing over the two pistols. Michael began checking his prized gun.

 

        "What the hell Ramsey! Why didn't you let us in on the whole crazed murderer thing?"

 

        "It's a newer development," He shrugged. "Well, since we're all awake now, let's get to the planning room, we've got a heist, boys," A fake cough sounded from behind Geoff. "And girl," The man added.

 

\--

 

        A solid 12 days had gone by before Ray finally cracked, he had to make a few check deposits anyway so he might as well go withdraw as well. The young shop owner wished he didn't have to give proof of deposit or else he'd have used the check to buy the weapon. The Puerto Rican decided to visit the bank on a Wednesday when there were fewer people there.

 

        Ray walked into the building, his anxiety spiking at the thought of having to interact with someone while pressured with a line behind him.  The 19-year-old stood awkwardly in the still long line. The line moved about one person in the ten minutes that Ray had been there. The adult teen sighed and glanced at his phone.

 

        Narvaez looked up, an odd sense of anxiousness bubbled up and startled his skin, he noticed two men, wearing long sleeves and all black, in separate lines. Something about them was beginning to seem off when suddenly they nodded to each other. The two unknown males pulled masks out of their jacket pockets and over their faces, they both pulled out guns that Ray couldn't name.

 

        "Everybody, get down if you wanna live!" The one wearing a black hockey mask yelled and pointed his gun at everyone. The second man, who was wearing a red hockey mask, quickly shot two of the four security guards. A third man walked in, one with a skull mask that Ray swears he's seen before on the news.

 

        Skull Mask Guy throws a couple black duffle bags toward Red Mask Guy. He turns and shoots the other two guards in the head, dead accuracy. Ray almost chuckles insanely from the pun his head came up with. Instead, he almost choked; Skull Mask Dude pointed the gun at him.

 

Rays brain proved him inane.

 

        "Dude, Skully, man, your mask is so lame. Like, really, a skull? That's so cliche! Haven't you ever heard of originality? You could've done something cool like a Bulbasaur themed paintball mask," Ray gulped apprehensively.

 

        "Get. Down," The Skull Mask Guy said grimly. Suddenly, Ray's thoughts turned back, to a few years ago when he saw a special on violent crimes; he paled when he recognized whos mask he just insulted.

 

        "Vagabond," Ray looked around, concluding that not one of the civilians including himself were going to walk out of this bank. "Dude, I don't know about you, but I'd rather die curled up on a couch playing Tetris, so I mean-" Ray was cut off by the loud banging of a gunshot, the shop owner felt a white-hot blinding pain swallow him before everything goes slowly blank.

 

        "-ow much did we get?"

 

        "I don't know, I didn't exactly sit there to count it, but it's gotta be at least like-"

 

        Ray didn't understand what was going on, he was dead, wasn't he? A shot that close would've killed him right? The young adult couldn't help the coughing his body tormented him with. His ears were ringing ferociously.

 

Bang.

 

Bang.

 

Bang.

 

        More pain blossomed from various areas of his body, and everything went black again.

 

\--

 

        Ray shot up like a bat out of hell. The young adult looked around frightened, everything was blurry.

 

        "My glasses," Ray asked aloud to himself.

 

        "Your glasses were shattered when you fell, you're in a hospital, Mr. Narvaez," The stern voice of whom ray could only assume was a doctor flew through his head. "Try to calm down, you have a nasty concussion right now."

 

        "What happened?" Ray asked confused.

 

        "You were a victim in a bank robbery. You sustained minor injuries besides the concussion. You're currently in room 107 at Saint Agnes Hospital. I have to apologize for asking you this, but would you be alright with answering a few questions from the police?"

 

        "Uh, yeah sure, I guess." Ray sighed not knowing if the nausea was from the concussion, the thought of having to pay medical bills and buy new glasses, or if it was a combination of both.

 

        Ray could see a blurb move and suddenly: "Mr. Narvaez, Would it be okay to ask you a few questions?"

 

        "Why not, throw em at me Mr. policeman," Ray gestured unenthusiastically.

 

        "Right, well, do you remember anything from the robbery?"

 

        "Yeah, I mean, yeah I think so," Ray shrugged.

 

        "Could you tell me how many robbers there were?"

 

        "Uh, two of them were already in the bank, and one came in after it started."

 

        "Can you tell me what they looked like?"

 

        "I didn't see any of their faces. One was wearing a black hockey mask, the second was wearing a red hockey mask, the third was the vagabond, so skull mask," Ray sighed waiting, realizing the officer wasn't saying anything else.

 

        "Excuse me, you said The Vagabond?" The officer's voice presented skepticism in snide.

 

        "Yeah, uh he's a big-time mercenary or something over on the east coast. I used to live in new york so I've seen his mask on the news a bunch," The young adult shrugged.

 

        "Right, well thank you for your time kid."

 

        "Yeah, sure," Ray rolled his eyes and sighed.

 

        Rays eyebrows furrowed, he could hear muffled talking from behind the door.

 

        "Nah, Poor fuckers legally blind without his glasses, he didn't see me. The kid doesn't know much, he shouldn't be a problem."

 

        Ray started to panic, wondering if that man really was a police officer if so he was definitely a shady cop.

 

        "There might be one slight problem, he knew about The Vagabond. Said he was from New York so he's seen the mask plenty of times, could cause trouble if you're trying to keep that particular piece of information from the world," Ray heard the man sigh.

 

        "Shit," Ray whispered to himself. He felt the familiar feeling of panic bubble under his skin, he could barely sit still from the adrenaline that ran through his system.

 

        "Alright fine, If you really think he'll be a problem; I'll talk to Caleb. It happens to everyone okay, you probably didn't see him in the building."

 

        Ray paused taking a deep breath, the young man slid off of the bed with nervous feet. Narvaez jerked in surprise when he felt pain from his wrist.

 

        "Ah shit," Ray winced as he felt the needle pull out of his skin. He stood confused when no noise went off. He wasn't attached to a heart monitor.

 

        The shop owner flinched at the cold floor as he shuffled towards a wall. Ray felt along the smooth walls until his fingers hit a cold spot. Metal. His cold hand gripped what he assumed was the window latch.

 

        "Room 107, I'm on the first floor," Rays voice shook, and he swallowed past the lump in his throat. The dark haired teen pulled the latch, successfully unlocking the window, he pushed on the glass feeling it give way. He watched the blur move. "Fuckin yolo," He tried to find any type of solace, there was still a chance that he was wrong, and that he would fall to his death. "Yolo." Ray nodded to himself.

 

        Ray urged himself forward through the window and fell. He braced for pain but felt none. Warmth spread over him, and he stood upright. Ray was outside, he shot off like a bullet towards the farthest area from the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos, I'll die a slow painful death if I don't know how you guys think of this.


	2. Lost.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens and secrets are revealed.
> 
> In this episode of "How to become mentally stable after living your life as a crazed psychopath for 17 years" the FAHC gets a surprise, a birthday party is planned, and the Vagabond buys a rose while tripping over himself indefinitely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Detailed murder! And Detailed panic attack!
> 
> Sorry for the small wait! Heres the next chapter!
> 
> Also, I am so sorry ****** for making you the not-so-great-guy of this story.

        Ray felt as if he'd been running for hours, his bare feet ached from slamming continuously on hard concrete. The adrenaline was beginning to crash from his system hard, his breath came out in quick puffs.

 

        "Ray? Ray! Dude, are you okay?" Ray stopped, full deer in headlights look, before relaxing at the sound of a familiar voice. 

 

        "Oh please tell me that's you, Kerry," He asked apprehensively. Kerry was probably the closest thing Ray had to a friend. The only reason he didn't actively consider the other man a friend, is the fact that they rarely, if ever, talk.

 

        "Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?"

 

        "Yeah, yup, totally fine," Ray nodded in the direction of Kerry's voice.

 

        "Uh, right. Do you need a ride? Some clothes?"

 

        "Clothes?" Ray asked still huffing for proper air supply.

 

        "You're in a hospital gown. Wait, where's- where're your glasses, aren't you like, blind without them?" Kerry's voice vibrated with uncertainty.

 

        "Oh, right, yeah, full Velma, I can't really see anything right now," Ray laughed, his voice imbued his lack of proper sustainability.

 

        "Oh, uh, okay, here, let's get you back to your place," Kerry breathed.

 

        Kerry reached to touch Ray's arm, causing the Puerto Rican to jump violently at the touch.

 

        "Sorry, it's just me, I'm not gonna ask, but I really wanna ask," He nodded.

 

        Ray craved his usual joking demeanor, knowing this was going to alter their friendship.

 

        "Yeah, I'll tell you later, can we just get out of view from everyone?" Ray was still recovering his breath, he should really do some cardio.

 

        "Yeah, course," Kerry escorted the legally blind man into the passenger seat.

 

        "Thanks, for this." Kerry nodded.

 

        "So, what does everything look like to you? I don't think I ever asked."

 

        "A blurb of color," Ray shrugged.

 

\--

 

        "Have you finished counting?" Gavin asked as he sauntered into the room, staring unceasingly at the stack of cash.

 

        "I would already be done if you hadn't knocked over the fucking piles!" Michael scowled at the youngest of the bunch.

 

        "Hey! I said I was sorry!" The brit wailed.

 

        "Yeah, after Geoff threatened to have the Vagabond skin your fucking dick."

 

        A small chuckle flew through the air from the couch, where their boss sat comfortably.

 

        "He woulda done it too," Geoff smirked, eliciting a squawk from the green-eyed male.

 

        "Boys, stop arguing, or I'll have the Vagabond skin both of your dicks," Jack rolled her eyes as she walked into the designated living area with an orange bowl of steaming glistening popcorn.

 

        "He started it," Michael mumbled while rolling his eyes.

 

        "Michael, gimme a guess, how much did we get?" Geoff beckoned to the fiery man as he sat up from his slouched position on the battered furniture.

 

        "Uh, maybe around $11k for each of us," He beamed stronger than the sun.

 

        Geoff's phone began ringing, a shrill sound.

 

        “Yeap,” He answered, standing up and walking out of the room.

 

        Michael and Gavin shared a look of confusion before jumping at the loud yell that reverberated off the walls from the kitchen.

 

        “What! You lost him!? How could you lose him? I thought you said the kid was basically blind!? Joel, you fucking piece of shit! Damn right we have a fucking problem, your head must be a bag of dicks you dickweeb!”

 

        “Uh-oh?” The youngest's eyes were wide. In his many years of knowing him, Gavin had only seen Geoff this angry once. It hadn't ended well. Said older man stormed into the kitchen moments later.

 

        “We have a fucking problem,” Geoff declared into the room, his anger evident in the way his face bristled.

 

        “So we heard,” Michael commented, he didn't know Geoff very well so he couldn't judge on how angry the man positively was.

 

        “Yeah, y’know how we found out there was a witness in the hospital? Joel, the fucking bag of dicks, lost him,” Geoff announced.

 

        “If there's a witness, me shuttin’ off the cameras means absolute shite,” Gavin groaned.

 

        “So? Let's hunt the fucker down and pop 'em,” Michael shrugged.

 

        “This is the problem with leaving witnesses Geoff. We got lucky there weren't that many people at the bank, to begin with,” Jack sighed.

         

        “Yeah, I’m gonna call the Vagabond,” Geoff’s voice oozed annoyance.

 

\--

 

        Ray was honestly surprised that Kerry had lasted as long as he did before the man caved on his own curiosity.

 

        “So, what exactly happened?” Kerry asked, opening the box labeled 'spare' and handing the small pair of glasses over.

 

        “I  was in the Sundale bank when it was robbed,” Ray stated plainly, grabbing his bubblegum pink DS.

 

        “What!?” Kerry sat back, inspecting his friend for injuries.

 

        “I’m fine, the doctor said I just have a concussion. Even though I’m 89% sure I was shot and should most definitely be dead, but I think I'm gonna avoid that thought at all costs,” He nods. “Speaking of avoiding shit, Imma go roll a jay, you want some?”

 

        “I have to drive, unlike some people, but seriously, why did you leave the hospital still dressed like that?”

 

        “Oh, right. Uh, I don't know if you heard about the actual robbery yet, but don't be surprised if the news says there were no survivors. I overheard the cop, or not a cop, dude- He was talking to someone over the phone and, apparently, they don't want the details getting out, so they were gonna, ya know- Off me. They were gonna full on Kevorkian me,” Ray stood, walking over to his closet, deciding he should probably get dressed- And maybe burn the hospital gown.

 

        “What? I can't believe stuff like this actually happens in real life, are you sure you weren't on some bad trip or something?”

 

        “Oh, I'm sure. I've dreamt some crazy shit, but never anything like this,” Ray motioned vividly. He pulled on a pair of green sweatpants that were plastered with the mountain dew logo.

 

        “Right, well, if someone's trying to kill you for knowing this shit, don't tell me anything, I don't wanna know,” He shook his head, standing.

 

        “Thanks, Kerry you're such a good friend man,” Ray deadpanned. “I’ll send you a card with every little detail on it and put your address on Twitch.”

 

        “Asshole. So, are you gonna be okay by yourself?” Kerry asked, genuinely concerned about the Puerto Rican.

 

        “Hey, I have a bat somewhere around here, I could totally hold a bunch of gangsters off.”

 

        “Yeah, sure, well I'll leave you to go jerk off to pokemon or something.”

 

        “Psh, Nah that's you, bro, I only jack off to Tetris, fuckin weeb,” Ray pulled on a shirt that read: Sounds like a terrible plan… I’m in. Kerry snorted, rolling his eyes.

 

        “Course, how could I ever be mistaken. Take care of yourself Ray, I'm gonna text you in the morning to make sure you aren't dead or anything,” Kerry waved to the other male.

 

        Ray said his goodbyes to his friend and slowly felt his brain begin to register the day's events, once more.

 

        "No, nope, uh-uh. Not happening, I'm going to sleep, then I'm going to play video games all day," Ray shook his head before walking to his considerably uncomfortable bed and laying down.

 

\--

 

        "Geoff? Come here I need you to see this," Gavin called out to his boss from his mini office. A few minutes passed before he was given a response.

 

        "Whats up?" The boss asked before yawning, trudging into the small room.

 

        "So I was reviewing the tapes I stole from the bank and, well, there were definitely no survivors. The only way this person could know anything about the heist is if he saw the security cameras..." Gavin trailed off.

 

        "Why do I get the feeling you're about to give me an or?" Geoff sighed, seeing Gavin give a sympathetic nod.

 

        "I think you know what that "Or" is, I hate to admit it but, if it is-" Geoff promptly cut off the foreigner.

 

        "It's not- It can't be. Every person that was a part of the project knew each other, I didn't recognize anyone at Sundale," Geoff shook his head in denial. "No, no. Find a different answer."

 

        "Geoff, what if there were mo-"

 

        "No," Geoff rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I need to go figure this out," The older male lamented.

 

        "Sorry," Gavin acknowledged.

 

        Geoff walked away, stomping over to his own rotting desk. He quickly retrieved his burner phone, clutching the device, he stormed out of the warehouse. Geoff called the only number saved to the burner phone.

 

 

 

> _**Calling: Number, Unknown** _

 

        The number holder answered after the third ring.

 

        "Ramsey, so pleased to hear from you. I saw the news, that bank was too easy a target, don't you think? To what do I owe this- pleasure?" The voice stretched the 's' on This, Cartoon villain style.

 

        "Were we the only group?" Geoff demanded.

 

        "Excuse me?" The line crackled with the voice distortion.

 

        "Tell me there was no one else in the project," Geoff's voice was steady; his entire form shook with resentment. Suddenly the voice started coughing and sounding as if it were choking.

 

        "Sorry, what?" The distortion was almost incomprehensible.

 

        "Someone survived the Bank," Geoff deflated.

 

        "Impossible," The disguised voice stated confidently. "Anyway, your debt is going to get higher than you can handle if you're not quick about this okay?" The phone beeped in the cancelation of the call.

 

        "Damnit," Geoff slammed his phone against the outside wall of his warehouse.

 

\--

 

        The next morning Ray woke up to find that the last night's expeditions were indeed real and not a too vivid fever dream. The young adult sulked his way into his shop that his small apartment sat above.

 

        Ray sighed, racking his brain on how not to be found by whoever it was that robbed the bank: The Vagabond and the other two shooters. Rays phone went off, an alarm titled: Water Prickles. He silenced the alarm.

 

        The 19-year-old walked over to his broken front door and turned his hanging sign to say 'Open' on the outside. He wandered over to the back room, turning the sink knob to fill his watering can. Narvaez walked over to his potted cactus with a taped on dollar store name tag labeled: _Prickles._ Ray frowned and tried to smooth out the peeling tape. Rays phone goes off again, this time from a text.

 

 

 

> _**Weeb** : Hey, just checking in to make sure you're still alive._
> 
>  
> 
> _**Ray** : Still gaming._
> 
>  
> 
> _**Weeb** : Good. So, what are you gonna do about the whole "trying to kill you" thing?_
> 
>  
> 
> _**Ray** : Dunno. Prolly nothing. I mean yolo am I right?_
> 
>  
> 
> _**Weeb** : See, this is why everyone worries about you._
> 
>  
> 
> _**Ray** : Meh. I can't just abandon my internet, I've spent a very long time getting my gamerscore that high y'know._
> 
>  
> 
> _**Weeb** : Please don't die, you're one of my very few close friends. If you're gone then I'm just stuck with Barbara and Miles... that would really suck. _
> 
>  
> 
> _**Ray** : You right. I'll stay alive to save you from Babs puns. _
> 
>  
> 
> _**Weeb** : My hero._

 

        Ray chuckled at his phone, whipping his head up when he hears his store phone ring.

 

\--

 

        The Vagabond waltzed through the gas station doors, up to the cashier, brutally stabbing the lone man in his carotid artery and yanking the blade to the front of his throat. Whenever the criminal finished a job, he needed a cool-down-phase of reaping petty havoc to ease out of the adrenaline, or else he'd explode.

 

        He permitted a smirk to envelop his face, slowly, as he watched the man gurgle and sputter- drowning in his own blood. Before the crazed man could enjoy his thrill, his phone rang. With a sigh and an angry mutter, the Vagabond answered his call knowing who it was, precisely.

 

        "Ramsey, this better be immeasurably significant," The annoyance that reverberated out of his voice divulged nothing the boss didn't already expect.

 

        "Sorry to interrupt your murder boner, but we have a problem," Geoff sounded even more tired than usual.

 

        "Is it really OUR problem? Or is it YOUR problem that you're pushing off on me?" Ryan got crabby when he was unnecessarily bothered.

 

        "Someone survived the bank," Geoff stated frankly, knowing getting straight to the point was usually better when dealing with The Mad King.

 

        "Huh, interesting," curiosity instantly piqued in his voice.

 

        "No, not interesting: Bad. Very bad."

 

        "Have you contacted-"

 

        "Yeah, He doesn't know either," Geoff cut off Ryans inquiry.

 

        "Interesting," Ryan's voice portrayed the curious smile that graced his features under his usual mask.

 

        "Is that your new catchphrase or something? This means that someone's continuing it."

 

        "Or it could indicate that he lied to you, I mean, really, when has he ever told you the full truth? I seem to recall being told that we were both the essence of improbity, of course in simpler words, but improbity nonetheless."

 

        "No- no, he didn't lie, pretty sure the fucker did a full spit take when I asked him," Geoff sighed rubbing a tattooed hand over his weary face.

 

        "Geoff, I don't know if you've realized this, but I don't care. So, there's a new immortal that we don't know, Okay? What do you want me to do about it, It's not like we can kill the dumb fuck, I don't see what you want from me here," The Vagabond shrugged nonchalantly, walking patiently away from the bleeding corpse.

 

        "Don't you wanna know how he's immortal?" Geoff enticed.

 

        "See, that is the multi-billion dollar question, How," Ryan trailed off. "Well, I'm obviously going to help you, what else do you want?"

 

\--

 

        "Hey, Gav, Next week is Geoffs birthday. I was thinking we could throw him a small party. I was thinking we could buy him some flowers to bring up his mood," Jack smiled hopefully.

 

        "Yeah, he likes- oh what are they called- Pink kisses!" The Brit exclaimed.

 

        "You wouldn't happen to know where there's a flower place anywhere would you?" Jack questioned.

 

        "Yeah, I would actually. Me and Michael busted into one a while ago, by accident. Poor guy busted his head on the floor, so I played good guy Gav for a bit," Gavin nods. "I'll look up the store number for you, I think it had a cheesy name or somethin'."

 

\--

 

        "This is Ray Of Sunshine," He states in an overly fake happy tone.

 

        "I need a full bouquet of Pink Kisses," Jack asked into the phone, Gavin hovering around him.

 

        "Sorry dude, we don't grow those," Ray boredly stated as he opened a pack of blueberry bubble gum.

 

        "What fucking flower shop doesn't grow Pink Kisses?" Jack pushed.  

 

        "It's actually called a florist's," Gavin unhelpfully supplied.

 

        Ray smirked and snickered, hearing the correction from another voice over the line.

 

        "Like I said, man- I don't grow Pink Kisses here," He shakes his head along with his words.

 

        "Can I talk to your manager," Jack asked getting frustrated.

 

        "Yeah hold on," Ray took the phone away from his ear, waiting a couple moments before returning it. "Hey, I'm the manager, store clerk, and owner. We still don't sell Pink Kisses. We do, however, sell Pink Hydrangeas, which are known as Kissing flowers. I don't know if you're going by name here," Ray stated as he popped a piece of gum into his mouth.

 

        "What about those?" Ray could hear the female voice ask the foreigner.

 

        "Yeah, that'll do," The English accented voice replied.

 

        "Okay, fine. I would like to order a full bouquet of the Pink Hydran-things," Jack sighed. The mess up on the name caused Ray to cringe slightly.

 

        "I think they're called Hydrangeas," Gavin replied. The Accented males voice made Ray beam in pride, whenever he corrected a customer on the correct name for flowers, the customer would react with hostility.

 

        Ray was paying too much attention to the phone call and failed to notice the little bell, hanging in front of his door, chime.

 

        "The flowers themselves cost $30.78, But if you want them in a wrap with a tag, that'll be an extra $5.23. If you would like a full package it'll cost $58.43," Ray stated into the receiver.

 

        "What's the full package?"

 

        "The full package is; the flowers, a custom colored wrap, a ribbon tie, a customizable message tag, which can be printed or written, personally I would just have it written, and three small packets of water-soluble flower food," Ray listed off on his fingers as he spoke.  

 

        "Yeah, sure," Jack groaned in annoyance.

 

        "Bloody expensive," Gavin whistled.

 

        "Including tax, your final total will be $63.26," Ray informed after typing in his printing calculator.

 

        "Will that be cash or credit?" Ray asked and furrowed his brows after hearing a snorting chuckle from the other line.

 

        "Definitely cash," Ray heard the Englishman lilt.

 

        "Well, the store hours are from 8 am to 8 pm on weekdays other than Monday and Friday, I don't work on the weekend unless catering to an event," Ray informed.

 

        "When can you have them arranged?"

 

        "Right now? As soon as you need them, you kinda picked the perfect time, they're in full bloom," Ray stated as he glanced towards the actual greenhouse door.

 

        "Great, we'll come to pick them up tomorrow around 3 pm," Jack breathed out in relief.

 

        "Sweet, could I get an order name?" The florist asked.

 

        "Put it under Free," The woman supplied.

 

        "Alright, see you both then," Ray stated before hanging up the phone. Ray felt as if he was decently successful in avoiding all thought about the bank robbery. Except now he's thinking about it, oh god no.

 

        The florist felt it deep in his core. He quickly raced to the front door of his shop, turning the sign to say closed and locking the door. He attempted to take deep breaths as he walked to the greenhouse.

 

        Ray shut the door behind him and slid down the rough wood. His breath had quickened, Rays skin itched and felt numb. His entire person felt as if a vague paralysis had taken over; his nerves felt ignited like they were on fire.

 

        Ray couldn't say when he started crying, or how long he'd been sitting there on the dirt covered floor. The 19-year-old's head was still spinning, and his chest felt as if it was on fire. He couldn't help the sobs that racked his body. His head swam as he tried his best to force himself to calm down.

\--

 

        "I think he was cool," Gavin commented to Jacks absolute dismay.

 

        "Well, why don't you go marry the kid," She rolled her eyes.

 

        "Nah," Gavin wriggled in his seat feeling bored and fidgety.

 

        "What are you two dumbasses talking about- sorry, dumbass and classy lady," Michael corrected himself at the look he received from Jack.

 

        "We're gettin' Geoff some pink flowers for his birthday in a couple days," Gavin supplied as he spun in the bar stool he sat upon.

 

        "Cool, do we have any food in here?" Michael's stomach grumbled as he opened the fridge.

 

        "Nope, just bevs, kinda makes me wonder if Geoff's okay," Gavin (Mostly) jokes.

 

        "I'm gonna go get food," Michael wanders off grabbing his wallet and keys.

 

        "I'm comin' with boi!"

 

\--

 

        The next day Ray had gotten himself together enough to begin arranging the Pink Hydrangea Bouquet. He was most definitely not feeling amazing. The florist had nearly broken his spare glasses at least six times, he had almost had about eight panic attacks. Today was not his day.

 

        A few hours later the shop owner found himself waiting boredly for his customers. He entertained himself with video games and television. Eventually, the bell hanging in front of his shop door rang, and two figures stepped past the threshold. Ray looked up immediately, feeling more and more paranoid ever since the alarming events from the past few days.

 

        A woman with red curly hair and a lanky male with too expensive designer sunglasses wandered into his store. Neither person genuinely paid attention to the owner, too encaptured in the flowers surrounding them.

 

        "I take it this is the order named Free?" Ray asked trying to ease his own discomfort.  

 

        "Yeah, that's us," The woman answered helpfully.

 

\--

 

        The Vagabond sighed, remembering the conversation he and Geoff shared. Confusion sparked his brain at the question that this brought up, who was this new immortal? Which person from the bank was it? He distinctly remembered shooting each person that he capped.

 

        The Mad King was practically short-circuiting in excitement for this new development. What can you say, the man craved chaos.

 

        Ryan breathed steady, entering his apartment in annoyance. His thoughts quickly turned to the florist that he'd met. Sad thing he had to kill him. The kid would have been fun to mess with a little longer.

 

        The Vagabond tilted his head wondering what happened to the shop that the young florist ran. Call him sentimental, but he was desperate to check it out. Maybe it was a good thing the dark-haired boy was dead. He was too innocent anyway, Ryan would have ruined him.

 

        His mind had fully decided; as he washed the blood off of his favorite knife, he made a mental note to go visit the store later on this day.

 

\--

 

        "Is it just me or does this place absolutely reek of marijuana?" The Brit questioned out loud.

 

        "420 blaze-it amirite?" Ray joked ostentatiously.

 

        Gavin snickered, poking at a couple flowers and plants.

 

        "Is that ours?" Jack asked pointing towards the bouquet that sat in a plain simple vase on top of Ray's desk.

 

        "Yep, it's ready," Ray swallows his nervousness, he was getting an odd sinking feeling in his chest that he couldn't find the origin of.

 

        Jack smiles and goes to take a step towards Ray, but is interrupted by Gavin. The hacker quickly pulls Jack to the side.

 

        "You need to call Geoff, go outside and call Geoff, I'll pay for the flowers," Gavin stated quickly, eyeing ray slightly.

 

        "What? No, he can't know about the flowers, they're a surprise," Jacks confusion was evident.

 

        "Jack, please," Gavin spoke quietly.

 

        "Is this about the immortal business?" Jack asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

 

        "You know about that?" Gavin steps back in surprise, looking over to Ray to make sure he doesn't hear any of this conversation.

 

        "Do I know about the fact I watched my closest friend get shot in the head and then stand right back up? Yes, Gavin, I do know, Geoff can’t lie for shit. You should know that." She rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, you'd have to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to notice these things."

 

        "Well, yes. You know how someone survived the bank? I was going over the cameras and he," -Gavin nodded towards Ray who was most definitely not having a mini panic attack at the fact that these two people were exceedingly sketchy.- "Was definitely at the bank. I watched the Vagabond shoot him about seven times in the chest, normal people don't survive that. Honestly? I feel bad for him, that bloody psychopath prolly woulda kept shootin' if I didn't tell them all to get out."

 

        "Uh, hello?" Ray interjected on the two criminals' conversation.

 

        "Right, yeah," Gavin walked over to the counter. "How much was it again?"

 

        "One second," With shaking fingers, he searched his counter for the printed receipt. "It was $63.26," Eureka, he found it, no more floundering like an idiot. The Brit opened up his battered wallet.

 

        "Did you hear about the Sundale bank? What a hit, those blokes have got to be rolling in it right now," The sandy-haired man glared at the florist.

 

 _Shit_. Rays brain provided kindly. Rays heart began to race while his hands shook.

 

        "Uh, no, nope, haven't heard about anything like that," Ray stuttered out.

 

        "Well, I heard that it was an absolute massacre, total bloodbath," Gavin handed over three $20's and a $5.

 

        "Damn, sounds like some serious shit," Ray swallowed nervously, taking the cash and placing it in the respective slots within the cash register.

 

        "Yeah, eh, I guess total bloodbath is the wrong phrase for it since, y'know, there was one survivor," Gavin nodded, feigning innocence.

 

        "Huh?" Rays voice rose at least three octaves.  

 

        In the midst of Gavins grueling, neither man realized that someone else had entered the shop. Both parties assumed the chiming of the bell was from the woman, not realizing she had re-entered the building several minutes ago.  

 

\--

 

        The Vagabond walked inconspicuously down the sunny city sidewalk.  When the criminal reached the florist shop, he was surprised to see it open, even more, startled to see who had just walked out of it, Jack. Had Ramsey sent his lackeys to watch the Mad Mercenary? Why would he? No, wait, Geoff didn't know what Ryan looked like, he didn't even know his real name, he only knew his voice, which in the man's opinion was still too much information.

 

        Forcing himself to relax, Ryan stalked forward towards Ray Of Sunshine, his curiosity and interest being shocked into overdrive. Ryan watched as Jack glared angrily at her phone, Geoff didn't answer her call. Ryan stepped closer as she walked back into the shop. He walked in after waiting a few minutes, not wanting to raise any suspicion.

 

        "Yeah, someone in the bank lived," Gavin nodded his head, egging Ray on.

 

        "The news didn't say anything about that," Ray said on instinct, he knew they didn't, he checked.

 

        "I thought you said you didn't hear anything about the bank?" Gavin's eyebrows raised and he tilted his head. Hook, line, and sinker.

 

        Ray looked over, seeing familiar blue eyes and dad jeans, the 19-year-olds own eyes revealing just how panicked he was getting.

 

        "Sorry, I have another customer to talk with," He attempted to divert the conversation, handing over Gavin's change.

 

        "Keep the change," Gavin pronounced, turning around and seeing the other man.

 

        "Hey, Ray. Is there a problem?" Ryan challenged eyeing the other two criminals.

 

        "No, we were just having a conversation. Jack, We have our flowers, let's go," The English male stated, grabbing the wrapped Pink Hydrangeas and turning away completely.

 

        Ryan watched the two crew members leave the store, he turned towards Ray to see him deflate completely.

 

        "Are you okay?" He probed softly.

 

        "Yeah, I'm fine I- No, uh, no, not- not really. I'm a mess right now," Ray laughed and sighed.

 

        "Hot mess. Gotta add the hot onto that to make it true," Ryan joked.

 

        "Right can't forget that," Ray smiled giving a silent laugh with an eye roll.

 

        "You should smile more," He comments casually, smiling himself.

 

        "Huh?" Ray was severely caught off guard.

 

        "Oh, uh, because I read somewhere that it helps with anxiety. Smiling even if you aren't happy tricks your brain into thinking you are happy, so it'll send the riff- right chemicals through your system," Ryan stumbled, actually stumbled over his words there.

 

 _What the fuck was that?_  Ryan asked himself feeling his cheeks grow warm. _I think I broke myself, I think I've finally gone over the deep end, what is wrong with me?_

 

        "Nice flub," Ray laughed.

 

_Nice flub? Really? Is that really the best you can do? The younger of the two screamed at himself in the comfort of his own mind._

 

        He blames the concussion for his abnormal behavior.

 

        Ryan quickly decided that yes, Ray most definitely should have died in that bank.

 

_This, whatever this is, is awful._

 

        "So what did you need?" Ray asked, his anxiety thankfully going back to the standard dull warning in the back of his head.

 

        "Hm? Oh, uh, I pur- I wanted to procure a flower," Ryan stated dumbly.

 

        "Yeah, good thing you're in the right place for that," Ray replied sarcastically.

 

        "What flower would you recommend?"

 

        "It depends why you're buying them, flowers have their own language, Y'know."

 

        "How would you say, Get off my dick?"

 

        "Probably just like that, you're very persuasive," He jokes.

 

        "What are your favorite flowers?"

 

        "Roses," Ray says, leaning against his counter.

 

        "Way to be predictable," Ryan teases.

 

        "I'm allergic to them," Ray shrugs.

 

        "Then why are they your favorite?" Ryan laughs.

 

        "Fuckin yolo, psh, I don't have to explain myself to you."

 

        "I'll take a rose then," Ryan smiles.

 

        "Why," Ray mocks.

 

        "I don't have to explain myself to you," Ryan parrots.

 

        "Touche," Ray narrows his eyes and then shrugs.

 

\--

 

        "Geoff, we found out who the im- who survived the bank, hello Michael, I didn't know you were here," Gavin quickly corrected himself, seeing his usual partner in crime.

 

        "Yeah, I know, I got Jacks voicemail," The man sighed, leaning over a table with a map of Los Santos spread out over it.

 

        "What are we gonna do?" Jack questioned as she walked over to the table.

 

        "We aren't gonna do anything, the Vagabond will make sure he doesn't talk. Once that fucker gets back here, we're gonna have a meeting," Geoff spoke in his usual tone, which leads Gavin and Jack to come to the same conclusion that the boss had already made plans.

 

        An hour later, the Mad King stepped into the country warehouse, a different bounce to his step.

 

        "Look who finally decided to show up, fucking took you long enough. Alright, dickholes, we're starting the meeting," Geoff groaned in annoyance.

 

        "Do we have to?" Gavin whined boredly, yelling in a birdlike noise when Michael throws a bullet at him.

 

        "Fucking bitch," Michael laughs when Gavin tries to throw the bullet back but misses entirely.

 

Geoff sighs angrily, looking up at the ceiling mouthing: "Why me? Why'd I get stuck with these fucking pieces of shit?"

 

"So, we're gonna let Michael in on the thing we all know about, it's gonna get tiring as shit to keep that up as a lie, that is if he hasn't figured it out yet."

 

Gavin practically launched out of his seat, Jack having a somewhat flabbergasted reaction.  The Vagabond didn't even flinch at the news.

 

"Tell me what?" Michael looked around confused.

 

"How? How can he not already know?" Jack whispered to herself thinking about all the times Geoff told her about Gavin getting himself killed. Once he got killed every day for an entire month, Geoff said he was especially hard to deal with at that time.

 

"Are you sure?" Gavin asked, glancing at Michael.

 

"Even if I wasn't, it's not like we can take it back now," He shrugs.

 

Ryan silently thought to himself that that was wholly untrue, they could always kill him.

 

"Well, I'm not gonna be the one to tell him," Gavin threw his hands up.

 

"Tell me what?" Michael was getting increasingly frustrated.

 

"oh for the love of- These two dumbasses are immortal, the fact that you think Gavin could stay alive this long is disheartening," Jack rolls her eyes saying it how it was.

 

"Oh," Michael says like it was the most obvious thing ever. "Knew that shit after the first week, nobody is that lucky," Michael rolls his eyes.

 

"What!? I'm not that awful!" Gavin pleads.

 

"Yes you fucking are," Michael snorts. "And I watched that psychopath cap every single sucker in that bank, no fucking way some jackass survived without there being something weird going on," Michael stated.

 

"So, I was thinking that we recruit him," The moment the words left Geoff mouth the Vagabond stood up straight and took a step forward before he caught his own reaction and forced himself to stop. Everyone stared at him, Geoff face twisted to one of confusion. "Is that a problem?" He looks at the masked criminal expectantly.

 

"Geoff, I think I can speak for everyone when I ask, what the fuck is up with you and taking in strays? Seriously, this isn't an animal shelter, this is a gang," Jack said incredulously. "This kid isn't just a puppy that you can adopt."

 

"We might not know anything about this fucker, but we have to do something before someone else gets to him first," Geoff reasoned, looking at his crew.

 

"Fine, but what happens when this kid says no? I'm pretty sure Gavin gave him a heart attack when we were there," Jack sighed, and Gavin cringed. Michael busted out laughing.

 

"Jesus H. Christ," Geoff rubbed his forehead trying to will away the quickly forming headache.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and kudos, I'll die a slow painful death if I don't know how you guys think of this. I am very tired, goodnight.


	3. Guns (Luck.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the third day of murder, my true love gave to me: Three gun training session, Two odd conversations, and One murderous craze!
> 
> The fakes continue to debate what to make of the newly discovered immortal, James teaches Ray the way of the south, a meeting is condoned, and someone angers the mad king.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -So, I messed up the timeline of the last chapter. The conversation that Geoff has with Ryan, happens AFTER the conversation with our unknown number! Sorry! It's been fixed but, in case you were reading this before the fix, I'm leaving this notification here.
> 
> -TW: Strong Language, Dissociation, Anxiety, and Violence.
> 
> -Also, I'm so sorry! I forgot to credit the user who gave me the name of Ray's flower shop "Ray Of Sunshine" Thank you so much to TheOkayGatsby for giving me the name! Sorry for forgetting to add that in the last chapter! When I realized that I hadn't I felt really bad!

        "If the kid says no, we'll just keep tabs on him, make sure nobody else finds him and tries to make him their bitch," Geoff laments.  
  
        "Am I the only one still hung up on the fact that, Gavin- I'm sorry, Gavin was the one to scare him?" Michael comments with a snort.  
  
        "What? I can be scary!" Gavin responds offendedly.  
  
        "No, no you're right, sometimes your huge nose scares me too," Michael smirks.  
  
        "Words hurt boi," Gavin glares.  
  
        "That's cause they're fucking meant to," Michael shoots back.  
  
        The Vagabond almost laughed at that one. Jack shook her head not bothering to stop the bickering this time around.  
  
        "Geoff, It might be best if you talked with him personally," Jack suggested.  
  
        "Nah, I'm gonna let you and Gav continue to be his contacts on this one. Besides, I've got another heist to plan," The boss smiled seemingly not too bothered by this anymore, even though the entire gang knew that was bullshit.  
  
        "If you say so," Jack said with uncertainty. 

  
\-- 

  
         **Weeb:** What are you doing later today?  
  
         **Ray:** Sucking my landlord's dick.  
  
    **Weeb:** Ray, you don't have a landlord.  
  
    **Ray:** Okay then sucking the bank's dick.  
  
    **Weeb:** Well, instead of doing that, you should come out to movie night at Barb's place. We're binging Top Gear this time.  
  
**Ray:** That's Gay. Speaking of Gay lemme tell you about my hot DILF neighbor.  
  
      **Weeb:** Oh god.  
  
    **Ray:** Lmao Nah, I'll spare you... This time.  
  
         **Weeb:** So, is that a yes to movie night?  
  
        **Ray:** If I'm not deader than dead, a dude and dudette came into the shop and basically dumped the "I know what you did last summer" but Sundale bank edition.  
  
         **Weeb:** Shit.  
  
         **Ray:** Yeah.  
  
      **Weeb:** Do you need a place to stay for a few nights? You know any of us would help you in a heartbeat.  
  
      **Ray:** Awww Sorry Kerbear I can't be sucking any friend dicks any time soon, I need to get a shit ton of sales in before they start shutting off my power.  
  
   

 _-"_ **Weeb** _" has been changed to "_ **Kerbear** _" by "_ **Ray** _"-_

  
  
        **Kerbear:** Alright, but just remember that the offers still there if/when you'll need it.

 

 

_-"_ **Ray** _" has been changed to "_ **Ray Of Sunshine** _"_ _by "_ **Kerbear** _"-_

 

 

    **Ray Of Sunshine:** *Thumbs up*

  
  
        Ray sighed locking his phone and looking out his window in boredom. He hadn't made a deal in a while, maybe he should go back out tonight and get some extra cash for his bills.

 

\--

 

        The vagabond, void of his mask, walked into the flower shop just in time to witness Ray bend over and start picking up bits of broken glass. Ryan felt his brain quickly shut off, the inside of his head was unusually quiet when in the vicinity of the younger man. The criminal had half a mind to believe this was some kind of new ability that the florist was utilizing against him. Least to say Ryan was always caught off guard, he didn't like being caught off guard.  
  
        “Fucking! Shit. James, uh hey,” Ray jumped having not heard the bell from his door ring.  
  
        “You're bleeding,” Ryan's body moved forward quicker than his brain could come back online. His own concern shocked him, the criminal wasn't used to such emotions plaguing his mind.  
  
        “Oh, right yeah- I um, I dropped a vase on the floor. Turns out it was more of a cheap piece of shit than I thought,” Ray laughed awkwardly. He didn't know how to interact with attractive people, and boy did he find James attractive.  
  
        “You should probably clean the cut before it gets infected. Where's your first aid? I can help you bandage it,” Ryan suggested, smiling at the younger male.  
  
        What the absolute fuck is wrong with me? He questions himself.  
  
        “Right yeah, it's in the back room," Ray gestures to the door next to his desk.  
  
        The mad king nodded and walked to the door as Ray dropped the glass into the trash can. Ryan opened the metal door to reveal a thin hallway that leads to three other doors. He didn't have to look for long, the first aid kit sat on a small console table to the right of the entrance where he stood. The first two doors found themselves immediately across from the other, the third door was at the very end of the hallway.  
  
        "That room is the bathroom," Ray points to the door on the left. "The other one is to the loft," He points to the door on the right. "And that one leads to the greenhouse," Ray motions towards the door at the end of the hallway.  
  
        Ryan nods, taking notice of the peeling paint and clumps of dirt.  
  
        "It's very quaint," He smiles at Ray again.  
  
\--  
  
        "Are you sure that we should be doing another heist so soon? We haven't even lost the heat from the last heist, Geoff are you even listening to me?" Jack lectured her friend.  
  
        "Yes, I'm listening, and you're right as always, which is why it's not a heist. I'm having a meeting with a few gang contacts of mine. It's so we can establish our name and all that fuckin' shit," Geoff sighed, rubbing the dark circles that pulled his eyes.  
  
        "What gang?" Jack relaxes slightly.  
  
        "Uh, I think their name was RWBY or somethin' weird like that, It's a bunch of girls and like two guys," Geoff shrugs.  
  
        "You should bring Michael, I'm pretty sure he was friends with one of them back in the day."  
  
        Geoff gives some dismissive noise, "I was already gonna do that."  
  
        "What else is on the agenda of fuckery with the world?"  
  
        "uh, starting a drug business?"  
  
        "How?"  
  
        "I don't fuckin know, stop harassing my anus, I'll figure out the details later."  
  
        Jack rolled her eyes and walked away, mumbling about harassing Geoff and how he hasn't seen harassing yet.  
  
        "Oh and Jack! Take that idiot Gavin to a fucking gun range and show him how to actually hold a weapon. Fucker might not be able to die, but he'll end up getting someone who can die, deader than dicks," Geoff yelled back to his retreating friend.  
  
\--  
  
        "So what am I supposed to do with the bloke from Ray Of Sunshine?" Gavin asked, strolling into the living area of the warehouse.  
  
        "Do what you usually do, shmooze or whatever," Geoff replied. "Ugh, where the fuck does this plugin?" Geoff grumbled to himself holding a bundle of wires and staring at the flatscreen sitting on the table.  
  
        "Ah, Michael could help you, he was an electrician before all this," Gavin informed.  
  
        "huh, cool. Mogar!" Geoff yelled.  
  
        "What!?" Michael yelled back.  
  
        "Gavin said you used to be an electrician, help me plug things in!"  
  
        "There are so many things wrong with that sentence. Both of you are fucking idiots," Michael rolls his eyes charging into the room and taking the wires from Geoff.  
  
        Geoff cursed checking his phone.  
  
        "What's wrong?" Gavin asked his boss.  
  
        "Nothin' the fucking Vagabond isn't answering my texts," He frowned.  
  
        "Wait you have his number?"  
  
        "I have 13 of them, the fucking psychopath has like 800 fucking burners," Geoff rolled his eyes.  
  
        "That's fucking hilarious, The Vagabond left you on Read," Michael laughed.  
  
\--  
  
        “Yeah so that's bullshit ‘cause Master Chief would fuck predator so hard up the ass, like seriously,” Ray shook his head at the older man.  
  
        "I dunno, I think Predator could get behind tho-that," Ryan shrugged taking a sip of the diet coke.  
  
        "Tho-that? He could tho-that?" Ray raised his eyebrows laughing.  
  
        "I flubbed," Ryan rolled his eyes and sighed. The room was silent for a vague amount of time before Ryan spoke again, "So, Ray. Are we gonna keep ignoring the obvious?"  
  
        Ray's heart immediately began to race, thinking that James was talking about the 19-year-olds super obvious big gay crush on the man.  
  
        "W-what?" The younger of the two almost gagged right then and there.  
  
        "Those two people who came in the other day, are you in some sort of trouble?" Ryan was troubled by how easily he 'faked' his concern for the other.  
  
        "Oh, that. Yeah, I pissed off the wrong people and they found me faster than Waldo," Ray joked.  
  
        "Do you find trouble often?" Ryan asked.  
  
        He thought that if he pried for information than Ray would reveal how he was immortal. Collecting information was something Ryan found himself relatively good at.  
  
        "Yeah, trouble kinda fucks me in the ass every now and again, He's a dick," Ray shrugs trying to shove away the anxiety from this conversation.  
  
        "How'd you find the trouble this time?" The mad king questioned feigning ignorance.  
  
        "Uh, so someone broke in a while ago and I was gonna buy a gun or something, and things kinda happened before that, yeah," Ray spluttered awkwardly.  
  
        "Do you know how to shoot a gun?" He tilted his head towards the side.  
  
        "Nah," He shrugged.  
  
        "Than why were you gonna buy one?" Ryan laughs.  
  
        "Cause yolo y'know," He smiled.  
  
        “I could teach you? Take you down to the gun wan- range and show you how to shoot, teach you about gun safety the whole nine yards,” Ryan suggested, hope filling his voice.  
  
        “You know how to shoot guns?” Ray asked incredulously ignoring the song playing in the back of his head from the words 'I can teach you'.  
  
        No way this fucking dad knew how to actually shoot a real gun.  
  
        “Like real guns not-not nerf guns or paintball guns?”  
  
        “Yeah,” Ryan nodded.  
  
        “How do you-” Ryan cuts the younger off.  
  
        “I'm from the south,” Ryan shrugged 

        “That- that doesn't mean anything. what? Are all you southerners born with the ability to shoot guns? Fuckin’ ride bulls an’ rodeos and shit.”  
  
        “Ray its Georgia, not Texas,” Ryan rolls his eyes.  
  
\-- 

  
        "Boi!" Gavin yelled into the room, looking around for his friend.  
  
        "Yeah boi?" Michael asked walking out of the bathroom.  
  
        "Geoff just called, he's got some deal goin' on with a bird gang, apparently you know one of their members."  
  
        "Yeah? what's their name?"  
  
        "RWBY."  
  
        "Oh, yeah. I know one of em, I fuckin rinse her in Mario Cart twice a month," Michael smirks shrugging.  
  
        "You mean you actually have friends other than me? Since when?"  
  
        Squawking and loud screaming proceeded Gavin's cheeky question.  
  
        "Tell Geoff that I'll text her and let her know who she's dealing with," Michael shrugs.  
  
        Gavin gives an affirmative.

-

 

 

>  
> 
>   
>          **Mc-fails-a-lot:** Hey Linds.
> 
>   
>    
>          **Red Queen Cat Attack:**  Whatup dickhead!
> 
>   
>    
>          **Mc-fails-a-lot:** You're a dickhead. Aight look, serious talk, that new crew that you guys are meeting up with, I'm a part of it.
> 
>   
>    
>          **Red Queen Cat Attack:** Ahw sweet! Are you gonna be there for the meetup?
> 
>   
>    
>        **Mc-fails-a-lot:** Hell yeah, I'm not fuckin missing this shit.
> 
>   
>    
>          **Red Queen Cat Attack:** Fuckin' great, I'll let the others know.
> 
>  

  
  
\--  
  
        The duo stepped into the gun range at Ammu-Nation, the older of the two carried a dark silver case that gleamed slightly in the harsh fluorescent light.  
  
        James directed Ray toward the right end of the range. He sat the case on the counter and popped open the twin latches.  
  
        "Oh, Ray, go to the front and get some noise canceling headphones or earplugs, you'll need them. Just ask Rick at the counter hell hook you up," Ryan stated dismissively after realizing Rays probably not used to hearing gunshots up close.  
  
        "On it," Ray says turning and making his way out of the range and to the desk. Ray asked for the earplugs from the man named Rick at the front desk. After receiving the item he began walking away, but quickly realized he never got a pair for James.  
  
        The florist turned around just in time to see, the two criminals who entered his shop, walk up to the counter as well. Ray froze up slightly seeing the skinnier of the two take notice of him and alert the woman, his brain finally kicked in gear and Ray panicked. He quickly turned and fast-walked into the gun range.  
  
        "James, James we have a problem, like a really bad problem," Rays eyes were wide with fear as he walked up to his new friend.  
  
        "What's wrong?" Ryan asks in the middle of loading the pistol he held.  
  
        "Remember that thing we weren't talking about, but then talked about? Yeah, they're here, like in the gun store, buying guns- Holy fuck, they're buying guns to kill people," Rays breathing got faster and faster.  
  
        "Hey, hey look at me," Ryan dropped his gun onto the counter and stepped over to Ray, placing a hand on his shoulder trying to help ground the younger man. "Ray, breathe, just breathe. I want you to focus on me okay, listen to my voice and try your best to match my breathing. You listening?" The Vagabond did his own best to calm him down.  
  
        Ray nodded and listened to James, focussing on his words and breathing.  
  
        "Okay, I want you to know that I will never let them hurt you, don't give me that look, I'm serious. Nothing bad will happen to you, and just so you know this, criminals have this code where they don't start shit in the range, they keep that on the streets, everything is going to be fine," Ryan assured the only noncriminal.  
  
        They wouldn't be able to hurt you if they tried. The mad king thought to himself, although he couldn't place whether he was being realistic or protective over the other male.  
  
\--  
  
        Geoff stepped out of his car onto the dirt covered road, Michael following behind. A red-haired woman stood up straighter from leaning against a car.  
  
        "You must be Geoff, I'm Lindsay," She stuck her hand out grabbing Geoff's in a firm grip and shaking. "This is Kerry, I'm supposed to give some bullshit apology and excuse about the others not showing up and whatever, but they're totally setting up a movie night right now. We have a friend showing up who we haven't seen in a while," Lindsay states dismissively.  
  
        "That's fine, apparently my other people can't be bothered to answer their fucking phones right now, they're off sucking dicks somewhere," Geoff said exasperatedly.  
"Hah, fuckin' losers," Lindsay jokes, "Well then, shall we get down to business?"  
  
\--  
  
        "So tell me more about the whole perk thing with the immortality," Jack asks lightly while walking through the Ammu-Nation doors.  
  
        “Well, basically with the experiments, they made us all really good at one thing, for me, it was hacking," The other shrugged stepping quickly through the store.  
  
        “Only one? What about your 'talking-to-people' thing?” She questioned while stopping at the counter.  
  
        “Nah, I've always been bloody good at runnin’ my mouth,” Gavin gave a sleazy smirk before nudging his crewmate, "Hey, isn't that flower guy?" He points.  
  
        Jack turns and sees the younger man from the flower shop.  
  
        "Yeah, that's him," She nodded.  
  
        "What's he doing here?"  
  
        "Oh, I don't know, Gavin, probably buying a gun, since y'know, we are in a fucking gun store," Jack rolled her eyes.  
  
        "Mneh, We're just goin' in the range today, Rick," Gavin informed the clerk happily.  
  
        After getting a nod in return from the counter runner, the two gang members made their way into the gun range.  
  
-  
  
        "If they walk back here just ignore them okay?" Ryan tells Ray in a soft voice.  
  
        "Yeah, okay, sorry I freaked out on you," Ray said feeling ashamed of his anxiety and panic.  
  
        "Hey, no, none of that, you're fine, there is zero need for you to apologize," He assured.  
  
        "Cool," Ray said trying to sound less awkward and sad.  
  
        "Alright, are you ready to learn?" Ryan smiles.  
  
        "Fuck yeah let's do it. That's what she said," Ray whispered the last part causing James to snort and roll his eyes.  
  
        "Alright so first, this is how you hold a gun," Ryan held the gun showing Ray where to grip and how to grip.  
  
        Gavin and Jack walked down the thin aisle while glancing obviously at the other two armed men. They began taking out their own guns and loading them, talking quietly with each other.  
  
        "Okay, so this is how you shoot," Ryan demonstrated, firing off a few rounds making sure to spread them out a bit.  
  
        Ray flinched at the familiar noise, the sound reminding him of the bank. The florist didn't realize that he began to raise his arm with the gun. He was too engrossed in his mind, thinking about that night at the bank.  
  
        Ryan watched the younger male take aim, his eyes glassy and unfocused. The criminal watched with intrigue as Ray fired the weapon three times. The third round was lodged into the wall having missed the paper.  
  
        Ray had come back to reality by the third time of pulling the trigger, his hold on the gun immediately changing and going slack. The three criminals all stood still in slight consternation at the amateurs perfect aim with the first two shots.  
  
        "Huh," The Mad King looked at Ray, "You have some natural talent for this."  
  
        "Y'know it, I'm just the bomb dot com," Rays unsteady state disallowed actual jokes.    
  
-  
  
        "That was bloody top," Gavin said, looking over to Jack, his eyes wide with awe and excitement.  
  
        "I guess he's had some practice," She quickly assumed.  
  
        Gavin began taking aim, shooting half the mag and mostly missing.  
  
        "Smeg," He frowned looking down at his gun and glaring at it like it owed him a new Phantom.  
  
        "This is gonna take a while," Jack shook her head wholly not looking forward to teaching her youngest crewmate.  
  
-  
  
        Ray and Ryan stayed in the gun range for several hours, refusing to leave until they knew the other two 'actual criminals' exited the Ammu-Nation.  
  
        By that time, the sun's light became visible only from that of viewing the full moon that rests in the slightly cloudy sky above them. The streetlights were half broken and half burnt out, the only non-natural light that illuminated the pair of men were the headlights that swam over them.  
  
        Ray and James walked in tandem, wandering towards Ray Of Sunshine without haste. They walked in comfortable silence, despite the twin air of unsettled nerves.  
  
        Ryan, still wondering about Rays apparent ability to aim in near or exact perfection, continued to walk normally while letting his mind wander.  
  
        Ray, shaking in the adrenaline that found its way through the memories of the Sundale Bank and his confusion on the 'fluke' at the gun range. Needless to say, Ray was quickly turning into a self-defined mess.  
  
        The younger of the two tried his best to ignore the shaking in his hands, he was determined to ignore the feeling in his gut that twisted and pulled, making his insides feel like Play-Doh that was halfway dried out.  
  
        Ryan looked over and observed the twitchy 19-year-old that walked next to him, he sighed before grabbing Ray's arm and pulling him into an alleyway, out of view from the street.  
  
        "Hey, are you doing alright, you seem a bit anxious," He asked thinking about his own first time firing a gun. Of course, his first time firing a gun, it was aimed at an actual living person, not that the bullet hit it's intended target, but it was still for an actual living person.  
  
        "I don't- know? I feel weird," Ray stood staring at James' hand that was still wrapped around his wrist.  
  
        "Is it a panic attack?" Ryan fucking hoped not, he really didn't wanna have to deal with that again, or at least that's what he told himself.  
  
        "No, no, Uh more like dissociation? I guess? I have no fucking clue," He sighed trying to focus on the older's warm and oddly comforting hand.  
  
        Ryan thought to himself, attempting to decipher a proper way to help the distressed teen in front of him, when Ray slowly raised his head, his eyes gliding into the direct line of sight with Ryans.  
  
        The Vagabond quickly decided he hated the way that Ray's eyes showed so much emotion and somehow turned him human, the other always brought out this version of the criminal that hadn't seen the light of day since before the project.  
  
        Ryan sighed allowing himself to waver, his eyes drifting downward. Ray didn't notice, too caught up in the wonderful baby blue of his neighbor's eyes.  
  
\--  
  
        Gavin rushed into the warehouse with Jack on his heel, the two were buzzing from the day's earlier events.  
  
        "Geoff, Geoff, we saw the other immortal again today, he was at the bloody gun range," Gavin excitedly informed his boss as he briskly walked towards the couch.  
  
        "Fuck, really? I care so much Gavin," Geoff's sarcasm dripped, strongly thriving under the proper conditions of his uncaring nature.  
  
        "What? But I thought you wanted to keep tabs on 'im?" Gavin complained.  
  
        "Well did he do anything noteworthy? I don't need to know every time he wipes his ass or leaves his house, I just wanna know if he's getting in trouble or stirring the sharks," He shrugged, glancing at his phone to see if The Vagabond had ever texted him back. He hadn't.  
  
        "Geoff no, you've gotta hear this," Jack quickly intervened on the conversation.  
  
        "Okay fine, I'm listening," Geoff whined boredly, secretly listening intently.  
  
        "His talent or whatever, is most definitely shooting. We watched him barely even pay attention, but still get head and heart shots," Jack explained earning a whistle from Michael.  
  
        "Shit, well now we really gotta hope nobody gets to him first," Geoff replies with indignation.  
  
        "Yeah, so how'd that meeting go with RWBY?" Jack questioned lightly.  
  
        "Fucking amazing since I had Michael there, but the fucking Vaga-bitch didn't show up and I'm pissed. That dick muncher better be doing something damn well fucking important," Geoff ranted.  
  
        "Dick muncher, Jesus Christ," Michael chuckled at the idea of calling a crazed murderous psychopath 'Dick muncher' to his face.  
  
        "Jack, go teach Gavin how to take apart guns," Geoff told his friend dismissively.  
  
        "What? Why me? I just had to fucking teach him how to shoot!"  
  
        "Do I really need to learn how to assemble a bloody gun?"  
  
        "Michael would rip that piece of shits face off, you're the calm one," Geoff shrugged ignoring Gavin and Michael agreed.  
  
        "Goddamnit," Jack sighed.  
  
\--  
  
        "Hey Ray, do you need help grounding yourself still?" The mercenary asked after the spark of an idea lit up his brain like the carnival that his mind most definitely was.  
  
        "Huh? Uh," Ray nodded and snapped back into reality just in time to understand the words coming from the bright-eyed man's mouth. The blue-eyed man's mouth began getting closer until Ray couldn't breathe from the anticipation that built up, the few moments that Ryan took felt like years to the both of them.    
  
        Their lips were millimeters apart and Ray's lungs suddenly slammed into him, pins and needles stabbing his body. Ray's fingertips went numb. His heart reacted just the way it had been when around the older man, it raced and pounded his chest.  
  
        "Oh," Rays mouth spoke, his brain unable to form any thoughts. His mind had gone completely still, the revolving door of Sundale Bank, dying, the two people, and James simply shuts off, only allowing one thought of the four to continue: James.  
  
        Ryan was so honestly surprised by Rays next action. Ray had been the one to surge forward, connecting their lips finally. Their first kiss was sloppy and slow, full of mental negotiations, but as they continued the kissing got faster yet more delicate.  
  
        Ryan was the one to begin pushing and guiding Ray backward towards the dirty brick wall. Ryan dropped the gun case onto the dirt covered ground in order to place a hand on rays side and another on his jaw to guide him with the kiss.  
  
        The two were too busy relishing in their kissing to notice the shadowy figures that were sneaking up on them. Too consumed in the other to notice the footsteps that weren't even hidden drawing near.  
  
        "Hey! The fuck you two faggots think you're doing? you're in the wrong fuckin' neighborhood for that shit," A gravelly voice called out to the couple, successfully startling the two. Another thing Ryan found that he didn't like that ray was able to do: decimate his ability to detect others.  
  
        "Wh- Uh- I- We don't want any trouble man," Ray quickly babbled, throwing his hands up.  
  
        Ryan just sighed feeling annoyed that his time with Ray was being infringed upon by these half rate wannabe gangsters.  
  
        "Trouble? Hey, guys, he said he didn't want trouble, I guess we better move on then and completely forget about our territory violation. We saw you talking to those two Fakes, so unless gangs are holdin' civil conversations at gun ranges, I don't think you should be aroun' 'ere," The lead wannabe gangster said, laughing and glancing around to his friends.  
  
        "We're not with any gangs, we're just two dudes trying to walk home, so how about we just go on our way," Ray tried his best to reason with them, he didn't exactly have too much experience dealing with armed men, the Bank was his first time.  
  
        "How 'bout you shut the fuck up," One of the friends stepped up brandishing a large illegal bladed switchblade. It became strikingly obvious that the other members of this mini gang weren't expecting the tiny weapon either.  
  
\--  
  
        "Hey Linds, what's up?" Michael asked.  
  
        "Stress," She sighed, "I'm gonna have to cancel our game night."  
  
        "Why what's going on?" Michael asked frowning.  
  
        "We're all gonna have a mini-intervention with one of our friends that day, catch him in the act of ignoring us in favor of a depression slump, he skipped out on movie night again," She nodded to herself.  
  
        "Right, well speaking of your friends, how do they all think of Ramsey?"  
  
        Geoff looked over at his crewmate once his name was mentioned. This question was an important one for any future dealings with the other gang.  
  
        "They like the ideas he has, and we know he won't screw us with you on board," She stated, obviously not paying too much attention to the phone, quiet purring could be heard.  
  
        "Alright great, was that it or are you just gonna force me to listen to your cat purr again?" Michael rolled his eyes.  
  
        "Nah that's it, I'll see ya some other time," She said her goodbyes and hung up.  
  
        "Good news, RWBY's in," Michael smiled triumphantly.  
  
        Jack and Gavin took that moment to walk through the door. Gavin was slumped and Jack looked like a disappointed parent.  
  
        "Uh oh, did he suck like a bitch?" Michael instinctively asked.  
  
        "More like a whore," Jack said, ignoring the squawkings from the brit.  
  
        "I wasn't that bad!" He demanded.  
  
\--  
  
        "Maybe you should put the knife away before you hurt yourself, Personally I don't think you know how to use that," Ryan snarked at the man after assessing the way he held the thing.  
  
        "Excuse me? It's a fuckin knife you piece of shit I know how to fucking use it," The gang member stated getting angrier.  
  
        "You couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel," Ryan laughed. These gang members really did not know who they were messing with.  
  
        "James, what are you doing? Shut. Up," Ray stared incredulously at his newly appointed firearms teacher.  
  
        "Don't worry, I'll handle this," When he said this he turned his head, another thing that Ryan hated about Ray: He distracted him enough to underestimate the stupidity of those around him.  
  
        The gang member holding the large knife ran up to Ray and grabbed him, startling the both of them enough that he had the time to stab Ray in the stomach. It's a terrible thing nobody told him that the Puerto Rican was under the protection of one of- if not, the most deadly man on this side of the Milky Way.  
  
        And boy did Ryan see red, for a moment he had to question whether it was the blood currently soaking through Rays hoodie, the blood that's about to be covering the asphalt, or the deep-seated rage that instantly began filling his brain until he bursts.  
  
        Ray felt the sharp blinding pain rip and pervade his body as he watched the knife perforate his abdomen. Ray felt as if he was floating- his nerve endings feeling numb, but in reality, he had quickly fallen to the ground due to the shock of the situation.  
  
        The five-man gang hadn't lasted long. Before anyone could react, The Vagabond ripped the large knife from the man's hand and stabbed it into his chest, the Mad Mercenary quickly grabbed another one of the petty criminals and wrapped an arm around his throat, gripping the knife tight and driving it into the front of the gang members carotid.  
  
        After dropping the gurgling leader to the ground, James changed the way he held the gang members knife and lunged forward slashing at one of the other men.  
  
        Ray had watched all of this in fearful awe. His entire being shook from much more than blood loss. The question of exactly who this man was repeating itself over and over again in his head, so much so that Ray began thinking he said it out loud.  
  
        "Wh- Who the fuck are you," It was actually the last remaining gang member who asked.  
  
        Ryan had almost forgotten completely in his murderous haze why exactly he had done this.  
  
        "I'm crazy and I look like death, who am I?" That last gang member hadn't lived long after those words.  
  
        Those words though... Ray knew who those words alluded to. James turned towards Ray's crumpled form and paused realizing then that the younger was still conscious, and watching.  
  
        The two made eye contact.  
  
        Ryan instantly felt regret ebb at his brain, body, and heart when he took notice of the look in those perfect brown eyes. He could see tears fall and hit the pavement in short succession, but he couldn't tell if the tears were from shock, pain, or fear, perhaps a mix of both.  
  
        "Ray, I-," Ryan started to attempt to redeem himself, make up some excuse to the younger man, but Ray beat him to it, the look of realization made James physically ache.  
  
        "Vagabond, murderer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Insert zombie noises here* Kuuuuuuuuudos.... Coooooooooommentsssssssss.


	4. Vagabond (Murderer And Coward.) Part 1/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birthparties in warehouses  
> And crying in greenhouses  
> Bright copper bullets and purchasing weapons  
> little white lies caught on truths  
> These are a few of my favorite things!
> 
> Truths are revealed, an outlandish gun is on sale, a birthday gift is given, and the new player scares the shit outta some people. Oh yeah, and my favorite game is referenced in here... I spy an assassins weakness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -This chapter and the next are gonna be a bit shorter than normal because they're being played off of each other. Sorry for any inconvenience. 
> 
> -If you have ANY questions about ANY of my works, feel free to message me @ Rey#7421 on discord! 
> 
> -Also, the Raywood writers group chat is still open for people to join! Someone reported the post I had made and had it taken down! If you have any questions about the group chat or would like to join, message me on discord! (Rey#7421)
> 
> -To explain the new way I'm writing text messages: The Read receipts show how long it took for the receiver of the text to read the message. For example, I sent a text but you didn't read it or respond until 2 minutes later. I apologize for any and all confusion!

"Vagabond, murderer."   
  
Ryan had no idea how hard those words could hit him, how intensely those words would affect him, how nauseous those words could make him.    
  
But they had.   
  
Those two words were things that The Mad King had heard often, yet they never even left a single dent on his carefully construed walls. Those two words never once made it past his cold exterior.    
  
Until now.   
  
Ryan had never once considered himself a coward, but to him, this day proved that notion wrong. He knew his actions were cowardly, he knew that what he did was induced by fear, but still, it was a cowards act.    
  
He ran.   
  
Just like a coward, The Infamous Vagabond, The Vile, Flagrant, Contemptible Mad King ran away. He ran away with shame on his heels and unholy contrition bleeding his skin.   
  
With Ray bleeding on the dirty pavement and the knowledge that he'd wake up in a few hours perfectly healthy, Ryan turned, tail between his legs with the need to lick his wounded sense of self, and ran.   
  
Ryan ran so far and so long that he was out of the city, his lungs burned along with his pride. He took that time to steal a vacant car that sat in an otherwise empty lot. The Vagabond drove, he drove for hours to one of his own safe houses outside of the city, far away from any reminders of Ray.

 

\--

 

**V:** Sorry I couldn't make it to the party, there was an incident that kept me. 

 

**Geoff:** You asshole! You ditched me! 

 

**Geoff:** Is the incident taken care of at least?

 

**_Read [6] Minute[s]_ **

 

**Geoff:** Hello?

 

**V:** No.

 

**Geoff:** Whaddya mean no!?

 

**_Read [2] Minute[s]_ **

 

**V:** I'll come to meet you and everyone else tomorrow. I have stuff to do.

 

**Geoff:** No no no no no, you don’t fucking do that. You can't just pop in like “oh hey something happened but y'know whoops” and then leave, what's going on? 

 

**_Read [8] Minute[s]_ **

 

**Geoff:** Hello?

 

**_Read [2] Minute[s]_ **

 

**Geoff:** Asshole. I'll see you tomorrow when you better fucking explain!

 

\--

 

“I don't know what's wrong with him, but something is seriously wrong! I don't know what to do Lindsay,” Kerry whisper yelled as he paced his kitchen in worry and fear.

 

“Tell me what's going on,” She responded, setting her controller down and holding up a finger to Michael. 

 

“I walk outside to get my mail cause I realized I never did that and we all know how this city is I didn't want anyone-”

 

“Kerry, skip forward a bit, you're acting like Miles,” Lindsay helpfully pushed his anxious state.

 

“I open my door and he's just sitting on my porch covered in blood, It took me almost ten minutes just to get him inside. He's not answering me, he refuses to talk and he's just sitting there with this blank stare. Lindsay, I haven't seen him this bad since you-know-what, except… somehow this feels worse,” Kerry explained. 

 

-

 

Lindsay took a deep breath and looked at Michael. 

 

“I have to go, my friend isn't feeling well,” She smiles sadly.

 

“Same friend, that ditched movie night?” He asked setting his controller to the side. 

 

“Yeah, his name’s Ray, he kind of shuts down sometimes, but it hasn't happened since- I think since the first month after he moved to LS,” She informed. 

 

“Go help him, I'll just call Gavin over and kick his ass instead,” Michael gave a smile and a nod of understanding, having recently heard many rantings of this particular friend. 

 

-

 

Kerry had ended the call and tentatively returned to the living room where he left Ray. 

 

“Ray?” He looked around, not spotting the other male. 

 

Kerry jumped seeing a shadow to the side of him. Ray was standing over a rather obscure box that Kerry knew well. 

 

“uh oh,” He mumbled to himself watching for Ray's reaction.

 

Ray stared at the bundle of guns and ammo in the large metal container, he looked up with cold, rage-filled eyes. 

 

“So you guys lied to me too, cause I know for fucking sure you wouldn't be in this by yourself. It makes so much sense, god I'm a fucking idiot,” Ray spoke as he brought up a hand to rub at his eyes. 

 

Before Kerry could get a word out, Ray had already turned and bolted out of his so-called friend’s house. He ran for as long as he could ignore the burning in his lungs, back to Ray Of Sunshine. Once back, Ray made a decision, one that would most definitely alter the fate of Los Santos entirely. 

 

\--

  
  


_ It was strangely easy to breathe. That was the first thing that Ray noticed. The next thing he noticed was that he couldn't feel any pain, and much like with the hospital, his brain was fuzzy and confused, yet strangely alert all at the same time.  _

 

_ Opening his eyes, Ray took in his dark surroundings, he had absolutely no idea how long he was out for. Of course now was when the memories began to flood him. James, the gun range, kissing him, getting stabbed, hearing James’ confession. It all came back to him. Suddenly, images of that skull mask flooded his brain as well. Memories coming in waves, fervently shocking Ray’s systems. _

 

**_“The infamous Vagabond, also known as the Mad King, has struck again, the serial murderer has killed-”_ **

 

_ Ray felt tears prick at his eyes, his head beginning to ache with the trauma of that night's events. He put an arm out to pull himself up but stayed in that position as his eyes clouded with tears. _

  
  


**_"I moved in next door.”_ ** ****_  
  
_

_ Tears began dripping from his eyes as every stressor hit him with ruthless force. His arms shook with the amount of focus that was being taken away from the forefront of his brain. _

****_  
_ **_"Thanks, I'm James by the way,"_ ** ****_  
  
_

_ The 19-year old fell back to the unkempt alleyway floor, the tears falling with harsh abandon, sobs wracked Rays frame. _

**_  
_ ** **_"Get. Down,"_ **

 

_ Ray searched his brain for all the tell-tale signs that James was not who he said he was, Ray desperately wanted to know exactly what went wrong and when. His tears were still falling at an alarming speed. _

**_  
_ ** **_"Hey, Ray. Is there a problem?"_ **

**_  
_ ** _ Ray sat up enough to kneel on the dirty ground and sob freely, trying his best to bring his emotions under control. The sky had yet to open up, but cracks of thunder and flashes of lighting seemed to resonate with the flashes of memories. _

****_  
_ **_"Do you find trouble often?"_ ** ****_  
  
_

_ Ray couldn't figure out what he had done wrong to deserve such a ploy as James, He couldn't figure out why the universe had to pull such an obscene prank on him. _

****_  
_ **_"Do you know how to shoot a gun?... I could teach you?”_ ** ****_  
  
_

_ He had no idea how long he’d been kneeling on the ground crying, but his headache was much worse and he could feel small droplets as the sky shared his feelings for this day. _

**_  
_ ** **_“I will never let them hurt you.”_ **

 

_ “Never let them hurt me huh?” Ray asked out loud. _

 

_ Slowly the tears began to stop, and the young adult slowly sat back against the brick wall. Ray clenched his hands into fists as his emotions began to change. Laughter echoed down the alleyway from the young man. His eyes became lit with a fire that only pure destruction could quell, he nurtured that fire with all that he had in him. _

****_  
_ **_“Criminals have this code.”_ ** ****_  
  
_

_ Ray’s laughter died, burned by the flame that consumed him, Ray was ready to do something he’d previously had never considered. He turned his head up towards the sky, removing his glasses, and letting the rain wash away all evidence of tears on his cheeks. _

****_  
_ **_"I'm crazy and I look like death.”_ ** ****_  
  
_

_ Ray slowly pulled himself off of the ground, letting his face come to an emotionless impasse, before grabbing the remnants of his dignity and walking out of that alley.  _

 

_ Ray left his morality and innocence in the alley, but he wasn't sure about anything yet. _

 

\--

 

While Geoff slept in his office, the rest of the crew, sans The Vagabond, got to work. They (Mostly) silently decorated the warehouse with a variety of birthday oriented paraphernalia. It had taken the crew exactly two full hours and thirty-six minutes to finish decorating, mainly because Gavin ended up knocking over half the decorations before being forced to put them back up himself. 

 

The large table that they used for heist planning had a mini feast fit for a mob boss spread out on it, centered with the fully bloomed and slightly wilted  Pink Hydrangeas. The entire planning room had been altered and arranged into a sort of party room for the occasion. 

 

All that was left to do was wait for their fearless leader to wake up and find them, thankfully the crew hadn’t the need to wait long, Geoff had woken up and immediately gone to the planning room with the intention to put some final touches to his most recent batch of deviousness.

 

The rich scent of food wafted through the air pulling the last remnants of tiredness from Geoff brain.

 

“Surprise!” The crew yelled, Gavin with excitement, Michael with boredom, and Jack with fondness. 

 

\--

  
  


The Vagabond paced his safehouse living room with diluted vigor. He was slowly coming down from his craze of murder, mayhem, and regret. He had no idea how long he'd been like this, but the slow ache in his heels revealed that he'd been at it for a while.

 

Sitting down on his couch he decided it had been far too long since he'd had the time to fully relax, But as he turned on his X-box, it simply reminded him of a conversation he and Ray had previously about the younger’s enormous gamerscore.

 

The quick reminder of Ray further put Ryan on edge, feeling genuinely concerned he felt his resolve burst. It didn't crack or go slowly, it tumbled and shattered into oblivion.

 

**James:** I’m sorry.

 

**_Read [6] Minute[s] (Update)_ **

 

**James:** I know you won’t take my apology, but I'm. sincerely sorry for lying to you. 

 

**_Read [13] Minute[s] (Update)_ **

 

**James:** Ray, please at least let me know this is getting to you.

 

**Read [.13] Second[s] (Update)**

 

**_-“RayFlower” has activated read receipts.-_ **

 

**_-Updated Read receipts will be highlighted with “(Update)”-_ **

 

\--

 

Geoff was happy with the crew’s attempt at a birthday party. After eating, they all piled onto the couch and began watching movies that definitely aren't old, but classic. Right as the second movie began, Geoff felt his pocket vibrate.

 

**Number, Unknown:** No Interest for the next three months. Happy Birthday.

  
  


**Geoff:** Terms and conditions?

 

**_Read [1] Minute[s]_ **

 

**Number, Unknown:** Do not apply.

 

Geoff placed his phone down, a bit of tension easing off of his shoulders. Today was gonna be a good day. He told himself.

 

\--

 

The Vagabond sighed knowing he'd have to return to the land of the living sooner rather than later. The call to return to his everyday work in the crew was far more pulling than Ryan had expected, but what could he do other than return to the warehouse and pretend that no incidents had occurred in his time away. Geoff already knew something happened so there was a possibility acting coy wouldn't work. 

 

Sighing, Ryan stood and exited his safe house with the intent to drive to the warehouse. This was a catastrophe if Ryan had ever witnessed one.

 

As he drove he continuously thought about how Ray would react once he woke up. All of the worst possible reactions flowing through the Mad King's brain.

 

\--

 

Ray walked up to the ATM with violence in his eyes and without fear. 

 

_ Let someone come after me _ , He thought to himself,  _ let them try and rob me, we'll see who comes out on top. _

 

Putting in his pin he took out all the money in his savings, a whopping $1200. Ray eyed the small group of people who slowly made their way towards him. 

 

When Ray made eye contact with the man in the middle of the group he watched as the unknown man gulped and said something to his friends, directing them away from the ATM and the anger fueled man’s direction.

 

He turned and began walking down the street to the Ammu-Nation, but not the one that he and James had gone to. Ray had walked two blocks farther than he had needed to but told himself he simply got lost.

 

Walking into the Ammu-Nation, Ray eyed the guns on display. A particular sign caught his eye, It read: "Used Guns for sale!" On the display laid an obnoxiously pink, well-worn, sniper rifle.

 

"She's on sale if you want her, only $800," The clerk spoke, breaking the trance that Ray had somehow found himself in, it was as if the gun called to him. He needed that fucking rifle.

 

"I'll take it."

 

\--

 

Kerry sighed feeling like an idiot. He hadn't meant for Ray to see any of what was in his RWBY box. 

 

"So you're saying he knows? Like everything?" Lindsay asked with slight trepidation. 

 

Kerry simply nodded, annoyance towards himself gushing through his veins.

 

"It can't be helped, we'll just have to get in contact somehow and find out how he's taking the news," Barbara sighed, catching the attention of her two comrades.

 

\--

 

Ray was on the rooftop of an abandoned building, west of Harmony in the Grand Senora Desert, taking potshots at empty Redbull cans and trashed flower pots.

 

Each shot was impeccable, his form was perfect and fluid like water. 

 

Ray laid on the warehouse roof for hours taking shots at anything that moved below him. Rattlesnakes, possums, lizards, they all were shot and killed the moment they entered Rays field of view.

 

He almost felt giddy at the knowledge of how well he could shoot, but his emotions were still evading his attempts to feel human again. 

 

He took another shot as he zoned out, but was thrust back to reality at the scream that nearly deafened him. 

 

Reload.

 

click. 

 

pull. 

 

bang. 

 

Silence. 

 

\--

 

Barbara played the role of indifference yet unsurprisingly she was just as devastated by the news as the others.

 

Lindsay was about to speak when a news alert in the background caught their disturbed attention. 

 

"Local couple Emily Reyes, 23, and Brian Coughmann, 28, were found dead just hours ago on the edge of Route 68 in Harmony. Blain County is feeling the loss as the couple was heading a large campaign against illegal hunting. Tom back to you," The curt newswoman spoke with seriousness and pain within her irises.

 

"Thank you Melony, Reyes and Coughman were found executed, LSPD has released a statement that they believe this ruthless killing to be a part of the large crime syndicate that Los Santos has found itself to be the center of and that Reyes and Coughman fought so hard to shut down, LSPD believes the killer to be an experienced hunter trying to end the campaign against them, LSPD have stated no more on the matter," The newsman informed the citizens of Los Santos.

 

"Holy shit, I haven't heard anything about this, is there a new merc in town?" The three members of RWBY shared concerned looks.

 

\--

 

Ryan fixed the mask that covered his face as he drove. He was refusing to think of Ray now, filling his mind with the thought of torture and murder. 

 

It wasn't working.

 

After the solid two hours of driving, he finally made it to the warehouse owned by Geoff. The outside was shabby and looked like the building could collapse at any minute now. 

 

Ryan decided to make that a point, to tell Geoff to fix up this godforsaken country warehouse. Honestly, he could barely stand to look at the fucking thing.

 

The Vagabond walked into the warehouse donning his usual dad jeans, leather jacket, and skull mask. The best part of having the reputation that he did was watching Gavin fucking Free practically shit himself everytime Ryan emerged from the shadows. Geoff gave Ryan a raised eyebrow at his sudden entrance.

 

"Vagabond, funny meeting you here, oh hey that's a word "meeting" do you know what that means or are you just a fucking idiot?" Geoff bristled with low anger.

 

Ryan ignored Geoffs yelling and sat down in the empty armchair to the right of the couch. 

 

“Fine, fine, be like that. No cake for you… or diet coke,” Geoff teased. 

 

Ryan immediately whipped his head towards Geoff, glaring as harshly as he possibly could at the older man.

 

“Holy fucking shit Geoff what did you say to this fucker, does he love diet coke that much? Jesus Christ,” Michael snickered at the absurdity of the situation. 

 

\--

 

Everything was looking up for the fakes, which unnerved Geoff like crazy, the man sat at the kitchen table watching his crew slowly clean, mess up, then clean again, the area surrounding them. The birthday boy looked over to see The Vagabond staring conspicuously at his phone.

 

“Hey, fucktard, who are you so enthralled with texting?” Geoff said this as a joke but quickly sobered at the flinch-like twitch that had come from the deadly man involuntarily. “Do we need to have another one of those feelings talks cause you know I'm fucking awful at that shit,” Geoff joked trying to lighten the mood.

 

Ryan sighed and switched the contact to Geoff and sent a quick text.

 

**V:** Life has gotten... complicated.

 

Geoff waited for the text to come through and laughed when he saw it.

 

“Oh man, tell me about it, I’ve got ‘we both wish we didn't know who’s dick up my ass every 25 fucking days cause he thinks I owe him,” Geoff lamented.

 

**V:** I killed six of his cousins when he tried that on me.

 

Geoff laughed even more but forced himself to stop so that the others wouldn't walk in on the sensitive conversation going on. 

 

“Of fucking course you did, so what else has got you missing meetings all over the place, that's not like you,” Suddenly the air around the two shifted and a serious stillness filtered the air into a heavy condensed game of I spy your weakness showing through.

 

The Vagabonds hands and fingers flew over his phone in rampant speed, he deleted his text three times before hitting send. 

 

**V:** I ran into our newest friend and attempted to show him a side of me you've never seen. It backfired, horribly. And now he knows the side of me I was hiding from him but not from you.

 

**V:** He brought out the worst in me and it made me feel weak. It won't happen again.

 

“Fuck… I mean… Fuck, you are a sad, sad case, my friend. Seriously a full covert ops mission with no backup and not even a single trace of a plan. Vagabitch, you're better than that, Ia know you are, I watched you hatch an escape plan like no other and execute it perfectly when everyone else thought we were all just gonna rot, what happened to you?”

 

**V:** Ray Narvaez Jr. 

 

\--

 

Ray staggard into his shop covered in blood, he looked like he had just walked right out of a horror movie, he was tripping over himself but not frantic or anything. He was void of any and all emotion, his face stone cold. 

 

Yet on the inside Ray was freaking the fuck out, his heart rate was going crazy but his body wouldn't respond to his commands, he watched himself retreat to familiar and safe territory: The Greenhouse. Once that door was shut Ray gasped and began breaking down, sucking up lungfuls of air only to immediately sob them out. This created a vicious cycle of his lungs burning and burning and burning even more. 

 

He couldn't take it. He needed a new way to cope. To push all of these thoughts of James and the desert out of his head. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Comments! Kudos! Redbull! All great things!
> 
> -Sorry about the later updates, I now have a job and am in school!


	5. Hypocrisy (BrownMan.) PT. 2/2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Redbull, Redbull, get yer Redbull! 
> 
> A search is conducted, an eerie message found, and Rays newest secret has been revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very sorry for disappearing for so long, at first it was because of work and school, but then I received new medication that has not gone over well with my brain, and then I started having withdrawal from stopping the meds too abruptly, and now my grandmother died... so yeah... life.

Nobody had heard from Ray for weeks, everyone was too busy whispering about the grisly killings that had recently occurred. The criminal underground of Los Santos was

buzzing with energy that no one had felt since the first time The Vagabond stepped foot in the city, years ago.  
  
“He turned off his read receipts, damnit,” Lindsay stared at her phone, her mood plummeting.   
  
“At least he didn't block you,” Kerry showed the red-head his phone, and they shared twin sighs. “Maybe we should stop by the flower shop, see if we can't convince him not to

hate us,” Kerry suggested.  
  
“I dunno, maybe we should give him another few days to process, I don't think he hates us, I just think he's upset,” Lindsay suggested.   
  
“You really believe that?” Kerry asks.  
  
“Let's go hunt down Ray,” Lindsay finally agrees, and they set off for Ray Of Sunshine.   
  
When the duo arrives at Ray's flower shop, they find it securely locked, closed, and deserted. Disappointed and worried, the duo goes around to the back door. Lindsay looked

at the cobble in front of the metal door, searching for several minutes before locating a gray rock that seemed only slightly out of place.  
  
"Jackpot," The fiery redhead announced happily. She reached down, quickly snatching up the false rock.   
  
Opening the rock, both Kerry and Lindsay were pleased to find that the old key still remained from when the group of friends first welcomed Ray into the city.   
  
The two secret gang members unlocked the blue metal door and calmly walked in, both members hid their nerves from the other, horribly scared that they'd give false hope.   
  
"Ray, you in here buddy? It's Lindsay, we haven't heard from you in a while, we're-we're getting worried," She announced, walking carefully through the dark hallway.   
  
"I can't see anything," Kerry complains listening as Lindsay pushes the door to the main shop open.   
  
"I think the lights are around here," Lindsay grunts stretching her arm along the wall searching for the switch. The lights come on momentarily blinding the two gang members,

the shop area was void of human life other than Lindsay and Kerry.   
  
"Linds," Kerry alerted, his voice shaking.   
  
"What? Oh," Lindsay followed Kerry's hand with her eyes, spotting the dying plants, Ray would never let his plants die on his own volition.  
  
"That's not good," Kerry stated simply.  
  
After searching the rest of the building, the two came to the conclusion that their friend was in trouble.   
  
"What are we gonna do? He could be dead for all we know?" Kerry asked frantically.   
  
"Its fine, I have a plan," Lindsay responded, the two of them walking back to her car.  
  
"What's your plan?"   
  
"I may have put a tracking chip in Ray's phone a while ago," She admitted as she buckled her seatbelt and then started the engine of her small car.  
  
"What? In that case, why didn't we just start with tracking his phone?" Kerry asked confused.  
  
"I didn't think it would come to that," She stated simply, receiving a nod of understanding from the other.  
  
The rest of the short car ride was filled with loud silence. When the two got back to their base of operations for their small gang, they were met with the worried looks of their other members.   
  
"Arryn we need to track Rays phone," Lindsay stated calmly.   
  
"On it, server two?"   
  
"Yeah," Lindsay nods.   
  
"I'll call Jon, ask him if he's heard anything from Ray," Barbara announced while already searching through her phone's contacts, and walking out of the room.   
  
Arryn cussed not long after Barbara walked out, "Nothing’s coming up, It's like the tracker never existed."   
  
Barbara walked back in, "Jon hasn't heard from him either, but he suggested going to a guy named Gavin Free," She said questionably.   
  
"The Fakes? They might be able to find him," Lindsay agreed. 

   
\--

  
  
"Have we heard from the new immortal recently?" Geoff asked walking into the room calmly.   
  
"He's been quiet," Jack responded after a long pause of silence, flipping a page in her book.   
  
"What is he doing?" Geoff cocked his thumb in the direction of Gavin and the four Redbull’s on his desk that definitely were not there three hours ago.   
  
"Don't worry two of them aren't opened yet, He's been searching for something for a few hours now, he's in the zone, I wouldn't even try to talk to him," Jack sighed setting her book down and looking over at the youngest teammate.   
  
Gavin's hands were flying over his keyboard only stopping to take a drink of his Redbull before starting back up again. His three monitors were all doing completely different things.   
  
The first monitor showed hacked emails and messages through the dark web; the original message was a list of names from someone referred to as Giver. The responding messages were names taken from the list and sent back from someone called BM. The names sent back were names of those who had recently been killed.   
  
The second monitor showed a transaction log between two proxy accounts. The transactions were dated at the times when the messages were sent over the dark web.   
  
The third monitor showed a long string of code that Gavin was writing.   
  
"Alright, I-" Geoff was cut off by the sound of banging coming from the warehouse door. "I guess I'll go get that," He grumbled walking out of the small office and towards what they considered to be the front door.   
  
Geoff turned the knob, pulling the door open once he sees the leader of RWBY. Lindsay pushed in past him, "Geoff, I need a favor, a friend of mine is in trouble, and nobody can find him," Lindsay spoke fast, her heart pounding, the forced calm having worn off fast, now that she wasn't in front of her own teammates.   
  
"Lindsay?" Michael popped his head in next to Geoff's stunned form.   
  
"How'd you know where this place was?" Geoff demanded sternly.   
  
"Tracker in Michaels phone," She replied quickly.   
  
"A what?" Michael asked a hint of anger fitting his voice.   
  
"I have a tracker in your phone, but its only in case something ever happens to you which makes me have to come to find you," She explained herself, "You know I would never abuse that or hunt you down unless I absolutely had too," She pleaded, hoping they'd understand this was a dire emergency.   
  
"Okay, how can we help you?" Geoff asked tiredly, letting her into the warehouse and closing the heavy door, thinking to himself, "Nothing bad will come from this... hopefully."   
  
"My friend Ray has gone missing," She stated frantically.   
  
"Shit," Michael cursed knowing the issue about her friend Ray.   
  
"There's a tracker on his phone too, but for some reason, we can't access it, it's blocked by something," Her voice raced to get every word out, "And, Jon Risinger said your hacker, Gavin, could help us, please we think he's in trouble," Her face was stricken with grief and failing composure.   
  
Geoff froze for a moment, "Jon? Shit. Okay, fine, I'll take you to see Gavin, he's in his office," Geoff sighed pinching the bridge of his nose before leading the panicked woman to the British hacker.   
  
"Gav," He said plainly, as he walked into the room.   
  
"Yeah?" The young hacker responded calmly, as he spun around in circles in his ratty office chair.   
  
"Oh so now you respond to me?" Geoff asked joking, receiving a shrug in response. "Lindsay here needs a favor from us. Her friend is missing, and the tracker in his phone is offline; they can't access it at all," He informed, knowing that Gavin would be intrigued by the challenge.   
  
"Lindsay, tell me about this tracker of yours," Gavin smiled, turning towards his computer system.   
  
Almost two full hours later The Vagabond walked into the warehouse, arms full with two heavy cases of Diet Coca-Cola. The killer slowly put his sodas into the makeshift kitchen’s fridge.   
  
After a few minutes Ryan couldn't stand the odd feeling he was getting, the warehouse was far too quiet. The trained killer brandished his weapon and stealthily made his way around the building. He heard the distinct clicking of a mechanical keyboard which both unnerved and relieved him, It could be Gavin, or it could be someone trying to steal their data.   
  
The Vagabond slowly inched towards the door, doing his absolute best to stay as silent as a tumbleweed decaying in the background of what was once the greatest western of all time.   
  
"So I've managed to recover the last update from your tracker, but It's from two days ago," He stated.   
  
"Gavin you are a genius," Lindsay said feeling a bit of relief ease the weight from her chest.   
  
"Oh don't fucking tell him that, it'll just go to his ego, his head will swell up and explode," Geoff rolled his eyes.   
  
"Where was he?" Lindsay was vibrating with the hope that her friend was okay.   
  
"Towards the southernmost peak of Mount Chiliad," Gavin looked over and watched the leader of RWBY's excitement begin to fade.   
  
"What? Why-" She stopped herself, she didn't want to think about it, she needed to hold onto the hope that Ray hadn't done something horrible to himself, why else would the most anti-nature person go to the top of a mountain? "I should go check it out, can you send me the exact coordinates? Thank you, Gavin," She said with resignation.   
  
"Let me grab my keys, I'll drive," Michael quickly jumped on the chance to comfort his longtime friend. There was no way he'd let her go on her own.   
  
"Why? You don't know him," Her high spirit had been slowly leaking away akin to a faucet with a rusted washer.   
  
"You'd do the same for me," The usual anger driven male shrugged and gave a small smile.   
  
"You two go, I'll see if I can track him if I get a hit on any cameras ill give you a ring," Gavin for once was acting with maturity and calm.   
  
The two redheads nodded, the duo quickly made their way out of the room, both jumping at the presence of a certain serial killer.   
  
"What the fuck?" Lindsay looked at Michael for an answer as to why he didn't seem to care that the famed Vagabond was currently standing in front of them.   
  
"He's a part of the crew," Michael quickly turned his attention back to the Mad King, not putting any trust in him. "We're going to find a friend of ours, Geoff can catch you up on everything," Michael watched as the man nodded and moved out of the way, he overlooked the fact that the Vagabond was holding his hand behind his back.   
  
Lindsay officially agreed to Michael that his crew was far scarier than her own as the two jumped into Michaels small car.

  
\--

  
Ryan listened as the two walk away from him, once they were too far away for him to hear, he holstered his weapon. The leather-clad murderer stiffly walked into Gavin's office receiving a tired glare from Geoff himself.     
  
"Vagabond." The leader of the ragtag crew nodded to the estranged killer.   
  
Haywood nodded back to the man.   
  
"Lindsays the leader of RWBY, she needed our help to find her friend whos gone missing, poor civi found out she was in a gang, apparently he was in a weird mood when it happened too, this is why you don't involve civi's in your life," the leader shook his head and took a quick drink of the light brown liquid he held in his tumbler. "You haven't killed anyone named Ray recently have you?"   
  
The question made James freeze, he froze with such a start causing Geoff to narrow his eyes.   
  
"Did you?"   
  
Ryan motioned for Geoff to follow him, he did. Jack watched with a curious gaze as the two stepped out of the room. Ryan leads his comrade into the dingy living room and grabbed the stocks and finance page of last Friday's crumpled newspaper, as well as a pen with ink that was half dried out.   
  
The newspaper was bent in places with small tears and already had ink smeared on it in small amounts, one could say the imperfection of the printing press created a perfect masterpiece, a masterpiece covered in meaningless numbers and graphs.

 

>   
>    
>  **_Do you know his last name? What he looks like?_ **   
> 

The ripped newspaper now held Ryans imperfect educated handwriting, a masterpiece all of his own.  
  
"No, but considering he was Lindsay's friend he's prolly around her age, why? Did you kill a guy named Ray?" Geoff asked for the umpteenth time.   


 

> **_No, but I know of one who just went MIA._ **

  
  
"How many Rays go missing at the same time?" Geoff rhetorically asked, and his old friend nodded in his agreement. "Shit," Geoff sighed not knowing how to suitably react to the information.   
  
The stoic heartless Ryan, on the other hand, was beginning to panic.

  
\--

  
The drive to Mount Chiliad was stretched with silence and charged with nerves. The two best friends had long since abandoned the attempt of conversation after the first hour of driving.   
  
When the two finally reach the point where they can no longer drive, they get out of Michael's vehicle and hike the rest of the way.   
  
"How far are we?" Lindsay asked, more like complained.   
  
"20 feet too low, we've got a while to go," Michael kept silent for the first 12 minutes, "Jesus Christ, how'd that scrawny bitch even get up here on his own, didn't you say he can't even drive?" He complained, with the utmost amount of aristocratic class.   
  
Lindsay gave a short choked laugh, too out of breath to laugh properly.   
  
When they finally reach the southern peak of Mount Chiliad the duo freeze. A small, tiny, wooden box was tied to a thick string of twine that was connected to a metal tent stake that was embedded into the ground. Lindsay and Michael shared torn looks of confusion wrapped up with a beautiful bow of creeped out jitteriness.   
  
"What the absolute fuck?" Michael voiced to himself.   
  
"Why don't you go and open it- you should definitely open it," Lindsay proposed.   
  
"Ladies first," Michael deflected, gesturing towards the eerie box.   
  
"Shit," She reluctantly walked closer to the box and with shaking fingers, she opened it. Lindsay couldn't tell if her tremors were from the winds or from her nerves.   
  
Inside the box was a note that read:

 

 

> **_Stop trying to find me -Ray. _ **

  
Attached to the note with clear scotch tape was a microchip, the same microchip that Lindsay had replaced as Ray's memory card. The tape had been folded and was covered with a second layer, a larger form of scotch clear that was possibly packaging tape.   
  
"Shit," She repeated her earlier comment.   
  
Michael sighs taking out his phone and taking several pictures of the scene.   
  
"Let's take this and head back to the warehouse," Michael says as he has already started to fail at pulling the stake out of the tough ground, "How the hell did this guy get this thing in here?" He questioned out loud as he finally was able to lift the stake.   
  
Lindsay quickly picked up the small box, "Maybe he had someone do it for him? It rained up here recently, it might have softened the ground a bit," She suggested.   
  
"It's the fuckin' desert Linds, it barely drizzled," Michael rolled his eyes.   
  
"Let's just head back you jerk," She gave a small smile at his quip, the normalcy from Michaels attitude was helping to soothe her rigid nerves.   
  
The two began their hike back to the car.

  
\--

  
  
"Geoffrey! It looks like a murder spree, but it's not! Look, I've found messages, transactions, and right now my algorithm is sorting through camera footage as we speak!" Gavin hurriedly spoke, the Redbull's effect becomes obvious.   
  
"Gavin, what the fuck are you talking about?" Geoff asked wearily, looking up from his phone.   
  
"The murders that everyone's been talking about, it's a new merc, well more of a hitman really, I was thinking we could try and recruit him, you were saying we need more people, its perfect, he's new to the area obviously so we can use that to our advantage when convincing him to join and-"Gavin's ramble was quickly cut off.   
  
"Gavin, three things. One: slow the fuck down, Two: you are never allowed to drink Redbull ever again when I'm around you, actually at all, Three: We don't know anything about this guy," He sighed at his friend's attempted ministrations.   
  
"I'll figure it out, right now I'm trying to find out what the bloke looks like, after that, I'll go about finding his name, but I did find that online he goes by BrownMan or just BM," He explained slurring his words from speaking too fast.   
  
"Alright whatever, get back to doing that- after you eat!" Geoff called down the hallway, Gavin had started walking away before he could finish his sentence.

  
\--

  
Michael and Lindsay had gotten back to his car, their images blown up by the scope of a sniper rifle.   
  
"Oh yeah sure cause that's definitely the better game," Michael rolled his eyes.   
  
"I'm just saying that- Michael stop. Look," Lindsay pointed in the direction of Michael's car window, the reflection showing a bright white light- the reflection of a piece of glass, in their line of work, that image was always to be assumed as a sniper rifle.   
  
"Get in the car Lindsay lets go!" Michael yells running to the driver's side and throwing the stake and twine into the back seat, he had the car already started by the time Lindsay had gotten in and put her seatbelt on.   
  
"Glovebox, there's a gun," Michael quickly informed.   
  
"Michael that's insulting for you to think I'm unarmed," Lindsay had already pulled a pistol from under her shirt.   
  
"And that is why you're my best friend," He gave a wicked grin at the 9mm Glock 19, it was the 5th generation and a semi-automatic, that she was holding.   
  
The two raced back to the warehouse, but not before going in circles around a nearby neighborhood for almost an hour.

  
\--

  
Geoff heard the telltale sound of Michaels car and walked out of the warehouse to greet them, "Find anything?" He asked.   
  
"Yeah, a sniper and a creepy fucking box from Ray telling us not to go after him anymore, oh yeah he took out the microchip, it's in the box," Michael said annoyed by the whole situation with the sniper.   
  
"Let's go see if Gavin found anything, he's multitasking right now, drank too many Redbulls," Geoff lead the two back inside and to Gavin's office.   
  
Stepping into the office, Lindsay froze before smiling, "You found him!" She rushed towards the computer, "That's him, that's Ray," She looked immensely relieved before recognizing Gavin's expression at the news, "What? what's wrong?"   
  
Gavin looked at a loss for words.   
  
Geoff stepped up, "Gav, what's going on?"   
  
"That's the sniper, he's also the one who runs the flower shop," Gavin looked pointedly at Geoff at the last part.   
  
"Shit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, Kudos, and anything else y'all can do is much appreciated.


	6. Overdose me on your blood.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well shit... That got really dark really fast... Wow. 
> 
> Lindsay finds her friend, but in what state is he in? Is he still the Ray that she knows?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ!!!!!!! 
> 
> -Yeah, so there's some fucked up shit in this chapter. If you are easily triggered DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER skip it. I was in a shitty mood so I ended up writing something seriously dark compared to what I normally release to you guys, sorry.
> 
> -I've come to a realization that setting a minimum word count for my chapters is stressful and annoying so yeah... I'm just gonna write as much as the chapter needs now.

   
        What do you mean that's the sniper?” Lindsay asked confused.

  
        I've been hunting down a new merc whose preference is a sniper rifle, that's footage of the guy,” He points to the monitor on the far left, “And that's your friend who went missing recently,” he points to the monitor on his far right, "And this is the flower shop owner who... witnessed our bank robbery," Gavin pointed to the computer monitor in the middle.

   
         Geoff gave Ryan a sympathetic look, knowing this was the person who has been wreaking havoc on the mercenary's emotional instability. They played dumb in their newspaper masterpiece earlier for the only reason that the others could know, neither wanted that.

   
         "They're all Ray, What so he's been leading a double life too?" Lindsay asked feeling her emotions rise to anger.

   
        "Well, when did he disappear?" Gavin asked curiously, "Cause he's only been doing merc business for almost a full month now," Gavin shrugged not knowing why he cared enough about Ray to play damage control with his friends; the hacker substituted his concern for the fellow immortal, as intrigue.

   
        No, Gavin was doing this for Michael and Lindsay (Who he believed was Michael's girlfriend)- Maybe it was better to say he was doing this for Ray.

   
        Lindsay nodded calming herself down, her emotions were a bit frazzled with the slew of information that was just poured onto her lap and over her favorite blouse, thick like a sickening sludge.

   
        The entire crew was put off by the information as well, although Gavin, Geoff, and Ryan had suspected something along this line would occur and make things much more complicated.

 

\--

   
        Ray had finally come back to the flower shop, he hadn't been there in far too long, he had a feeling the plants that weren't stored in the actual greenhouse were wilted and dying. The thought didn't cause him any concern, though, for the only reason that the 19-year-old sympathized with the dying and dead creatures, that were existing in the pots scattered around his home.

   
        Once he reached his own room, Ray quickly collapsed, with more than all of his normal clumsiness, into his bed. The young immortal couldn't place why, but he was excessively exhausted and drained to the point he could barely stand or keep a single coherent thought for more than three seconds.

   
        Something was definitely wrong here.

 

\--

  
        It had been two days since the revelation about Ray. Nobody was completely sure what to do with the new information. Lindsay was starting to question basically everything she knew about the younger male, Ryan was freaking the fuck out at all times. He was barely holding himself together. He kept repeating the same mantra in his head: What if somebody got to Ray, what if HE got to Ray, what if Ray was being forced to kill people? The rest of the Fakes were definitely being affected as well, similar thoughts going through all of their heads.

   
        Lindsay felt sick about the entire situation, she made her way in haste to her car, there had to be something that they missed at Ray's place, there had to be. Lindsay broke several traffic laws as she drove to Ray's home. She found the false rock and went to unlock the back door. When turning the key, she realized it was already unlocked.

   
        “Impossible,” She mumbled to herself, Lindsay knew for sure that she and Kerry had locked it back up the day they searched it.

   
        With a pounding heart and sweaty palms, she opened the door and walked through. The first thing she noticed was that the lights were on, the second was that a guitar case sat leaned up against the counter in the main store area. Shakily she opened it- Lindsay was still holding on a sliver of hope that Gavin was wrong and Ray hadn't been doing jobs in Los Santos, but right here was her proof, a sniper rifle, fully loaded and slightly modded- the mods were definitely hot.

   
        “Shit,” Lindsay cursed under her breath. She closed up the case and made her way to Ray's bedroom upstairs. What she found was not what she expected. Ray was in his bed, the sheets were rumpled and half off of the twin mattress. She walked over to the bed and called out to her friend.

   
        “Ray? It's me, Lindsay… Ray?” She shook with worry, Ray wasn't responding at all.

   
        She took notice to Rays shallow and fast breathing, his clammy forehead, and his occasional twitching.

   
        “What the fuck?”

 

==

 

_“I don't know what you're talking about.”_

 

_“Oh, I think you do.” A deep voice circled around a younger Ray, this Ray was about 13 years old, his mother had recently gone missing and now he had woken up tied to a chair._

 

_Ray had no idea where he was- **A warehouse outside of Woodstock.** He also had no idea what the man wanted from him- **The location of his mother and father and a sample.**_

 

_“Where did they go?” The man asked brutally._

 

_“Wheres your mom kid, your dad? Where'd they go?” A second man was sat in a chair directly in front of the young boy._

 

_“My dad’s dead, I don't know where my mom is I swear!” Young Ray yelled back at them feeling tears start to percolate from his eyes, he was shaking by now._

 

_“Where'd they put the sample?” The man in the chair leaned back and took a sip of golden liquor from his tumbler._

 

_“Sample? What sample? Dude, I don't know what the fuck you're talking about!”_

 

_The man in the chair sighed, looked at his glass and held it out to the child._

 

_“Want some? It’s pretty old so its good,” The man's voice was forced to sound soft, it was obvious his voice was naturally harsh or rough._

_“What? I don't-” Ray was cut off by the second man grabbing his hair and yanking his head back, the man who was sitting stood up and took a calculated step forward, he grabbed Ray's chin and forced his mouth open._

 

_“When Ia offer something to you, you don't refuse, I'm being very generous here y’know,” He growled out, his eyes showing absolute fury._

 

_The man poured the amber liquid into Ray's mouth and held it shut, pinching Rays nose until he swallowed._

 

_Once Ray swallowed and gasped for air the man smiled and nodded before going back to his chair, the grip on rays hair let go as well._

 

_“See? Was that so hard?” He asked rhetorically._

 

==

 

         “Lindsay, what- It’s three am, why are you awake?” A groggy Michael asked, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

 

        “Its Ray, I-I found him,” Her voice shook.

 

        “Ah, that's-that’s great linds-” Lindsay cut him off.

 

        “No, no it’s not something’s wrong he’s feverish and won’t respond at all, something is seriously wrong,” She paced back and forth as she spoke, continuously looking back at Ray to make sure he was still there.

 

        “What? Fuck okay, okay just- gimme five minutes where are you?”

 

        “His house, the- the flower shop,” She struggled to get her words out.

 

        “Alright, alright, I'll call the others, we’ll be there soon,” Michael said as he got out of bed.

 

         “Hurry.” Lindsay hung up.

 

\--

 

         “Geoff, we have a problem, Linds found Ray, but he's sick as fuck and isn't responding at all, she's flipping the fuck out and needs us there,” Michael spoke, trying to wake himself up.

 

        “Shit, the kid overused his enhancement,” Geoff concluded.

 

        “The fuck you mean overused his enhancements?”

 

        “Ugh did Gavin never explain this to you? Fuckin prick, Okay, so we immortals have these enhancements. They're basically one skill that we’re really fucking good at, Gavin’s a hacking machine. This one fucktards ability was bargaining, dude could get out of any situation, shit like that, the only downside is that the enhancement or ability is like a muscle, you have to stretch and work it until you can really use it a lot, if you use it too much you go into this catatonic fever dream state, it’s the shittiest fucking thing in the world,” Geoff explained with annoyance.

 

        “How can you be so sure that's what's going on, he could just be sick or poisoned or something normal like that.” Geoff laughs at Michael’s response.

 

        “Remember, immortal, we can't get sick or poisoned kid, it’s the only fucking thing this could be,” Geoff says as he texts Ryan with his other phone.

 

\--

 

>          **Geoff:** Get to the flower shop asap, Ray’s CFDS.
> 
>                                  **Read**

 

\--

 

        “Gavin, get your ass up,” Geoff announced into the room.

 

        “What?” Gavin groggily sat up in his bed, “Geoffrey?”

 

         “Ray’s CFDS we have to go.”

 

        “Shit!” Gavin quickly jumped out of bed and stumbled as he rushed to put on his shoes.

 

         “Let's go,” Geoff turned and walked out of the room.

 

\--

 

         Ryan had been the first to arrive after Michael. He sped into the parking lot with vigor, he remembers the time he went into this state… it wasn't pretty, or fun. The Vagabond had gone through memories of his first kill and how bad it fucked him up when he was in that state. Geoff and Gavin arrive shortly after James had. Both men had also experienced this catatonic fever dream state, their memories of that time held only disquietude and trepidation.

 

        The four all make their ways into the flower shop, their anxiety evident. With heavy steps they made their ways inside, Lindsay having unlocked the front door for them.

 

        “He’s up here,” Lindsay spoke with a choked voice.

 

         The crew follow her up the stairs to Ray's bedroom once there all four have similar reactions.

 

        Geoff sighs at the sight mumbling, “Poor kid,” It looked particularly bad for the young adult.

 

        Michael curses and thinks back to the friends he's known that got hooked on the wrong shit forcing him to help them detox.

 

        Gavin let out a small, “Oh god, I'm gonna be sick.”

 

         It took several minutes for the image to process for Ryan, he gave a sharp intake of breath and the three immortals shared looks.

 

         “Michael, get Lindsay out of here,” Geoff commanded causing Michael to, without question, grab his friends hand and start tugging her away.

 

        “What no, he's my friend you can't just throw me out!” She yelled at the men.

 

        “I know what’s wrong with him and how to fix it, trust me, you’re not gonna want to be here when it happens alright, go out and eat some food, don't come back until morning,” Geoffs voice held no waver.

 

        The two non-immortals left the building and drove off.

 

        “This is gonna absolutely suck,” Gavin commented sharply.

 

        “Yeah, I know,” Geoff rubbed a calloused hand over his face.

 

==

 

        _“Where are the samples! C’mon kid you must have noticed something in your house, a freezer you weren't allowed to touch, a safe, fuck even a cooler will do. Maybe some floorboards that moved weird, just give me something and I won't have to hurt you,” The man in the chair was frustrated._

 

_This kid wasn't cooperating with him. Chair guy nodded over to the other kidnapper. The man who Ray had ended up completely forgetting about walked over to a table the child hadn’t noticed before and ran his fingers over the array of instruments laid upon it._

 

_“What do you think boss?” He asked chair guy._

 

_“He's a kid, don't get too creative,” Was the response he was met with._

 

_Ray felt himself begin to shake, he suddenly felt his heartbeat jolt and race even more so than before, he started wiggling, trying his best to get out of the bonds holding him to the chair. The tall man looked even taller to ray at this moment, his shoulders looked even more wide, even more imposing, the wrench in his hand didn't look like a wrench… no, not at all, to Ray that tool for fixing things, looked like death. Ray tried shaking his head, he tried to scream, he tried to yell no, but he couldn't. He was absolutely petrified._

 

_The wrench cracked against Ray's cheekbone._

 

==

 

         “Let's see if we can find some plastic or an old sheet, something to place down,” Geoff spoke as he stared at Ray's shivering form.

 

        “Why don’t we just put ‘im in a bathtub, do it that way,” Gavin suggested feeling tight sickness pooling in his gut.

 

        He’s never felt this bad about this before, somehow it feels worse than normal.

 

        “Gav, go look for his bathroom, see if he actually has a tub or if its just a shower,” Geoff tells him curtly.

 

        Gavin forgives the tense command, everyone was feeling high strung from this. Once Gavin leaves to search for the bathroom, Geoff turns to his old friend.

 

        “What’s his talent?”

 

        “Aiming, Shooting in general,” He responds quickly, his voice thick with something he’d rather not think about, “I wish we didn't have to do this,” He whispered.

 

        “Yeah, me too buddy,” Geoff didn’t even try to remind him that it’s better to force end it than to let it run its course… James already knew.

 

        It felt like an eternity before Gavin came back, but he had with news as well.

 

         “He’s got a tub,” Gavin nodded. Ryan stepped forward, slowly walking up to their bed, he took a shaking breath and leaned over the younger male.

 

        Ryan gently slid his arms under Ray's body, he proceeded to bring the young adult up and into his arms bridal style. The immortals made their way to the bathroom, where Ray was lightly placed into the tub.

 

        Ryan turned his mask covered head to the other two, “I'll do it,” He said with a broken voice.

 

         Gavin would have flipped out about hearing the vagabonds voice had this not been a dire situation, he simply agreed and pulled geoff out of the room in order to give the man some privacy. The foreigner could sense there was something to the killer's odd behavior in regards to the catatonic male. James shut the bathroom door before slipping off his mask. James, with shaking hands, removed Ray's jacket, he folded the garment and placed it on the counter next to the sink. Next, he carefully removed Rays shirt, then removed his pants, he was silently grateful the younger male was wearing boxer briefs, those could- and would stay on.

 

        The last thing Ryan wanted to do was violate the man in the tub. James leaned down and pressed a kiss to Ray's forehead, “I think I like you, fuck Ray, I know you can't hear me, I know you're in another world right now, probably re-living something fucking awful, but please don't hate me if- when you wake up. I love you.”

 

         Ryan took several steadying breaths and removed a knife, a sleek glistening knife, he unfolded it and stared at the piece for a few silent minutes. The 8-centimeter long blade shined with a severe lack of scratches or impurities, the width of the blade at its widest part was a staggering 4 ½ centimeters, the blade has swirling designs in it that encaptured whoever witnessed it, the custom handle and hilt contained green accents with a solid base. Ryan had made this knife himself. It has never seen blood or violence. It still won't see the latter. James let the sharp blade slice through Ray's throat, he kept pulling it, slow- slow, so fucking slow until he reached the opposite end of Ray's throat from where he started. Images of the agony Ryan went through when he fell into this condition swept past his eyes, reminding him of the suffering he's endured in his life. Suffering that he would never impose on the one he claims to love. Rays blood pooled and pooled around him, slowly trickling down the drain of the tub, before it stopped, Ryan stayed with him.

 

        Eventually, Ryan noticed the blood hardening and cracking over Ray's throat. He turned and looked around the small room, thankfully he spotted a lone washcloth hanging over the edge of a basket. Ryan took the cloth to the sink and ran the water until it turned warm, he brought the cloth to Ray's neck slowly wiping the crusted blood away. The skin that was revealed underneath was without a single piece of evidence of the cut that Ryan had caused. The next few hours were filled with Ryan slowly cleaning the bits of blood off of ray that he could reach.

 

        Suddenly Ray coughed and sputtered his eyes flying open as he shot up heaving in lungfuls of air, his pulse skyrocketing. The Vagabond smiled, tears that he hadn't realized were flowing freely until now were stinging his eyes, because Ray was okay. Ray was alive, Ray was breathing, Ray's heart was beating, thoughts were going through Ray's mind. He was alive… Because he was immortal.

 

        Ray looked over still heaving to see Ryan.

 

         “James?” He was still out of breath.

 

         “We have a lot to talk about.”

 

         “The fuck is that supposed to mean you cryptic bastard,” Ray suddenly remembered why he was so pissed off at the man in front of him, “Why the fuck am I naked- wait is that blood, what the fuck did you do?” Ray was starting to freak out a bit.

 

        “Ray, just calm down and I'll explain everything okay?”

 

         “Okay,” He rolls his eyes annoyed, trying to forget the nightmare he had.

 

        “You calm?”

 

        “Yes I'm fucking calm just get on with it man,” Ray huffed sitting up in the tub utterly confused.

 

        “I know you're immortal, I am too. Your not naked you have boxers on, I took off your clothes so they wouldn't get any blood on them. Us immortals have these weird things that some of us call talents, or enhancements, gifts, curses whatever, but when you overuse them it fucks you up, your body basically shuts down and you start reliving the worst things that have ever happened to you, life-changing things. The only way to really get out of it is to die, I slit your throat hence the blood, you're prolly going to be exhausted for the next few days,” Ryan spoke diligently.

 

        “That's a fucking understatement,” Ray commented as he yawned, “I'm actually too tired to cuss you out right now, so I guess that'll have to wait for a while,” Ray huffed childishly, “Fuckin’ Yolo's a lie,” He mumbled.

 

         Hearing the last part caused Ryan to let out a low hearty laugh accompanied by a smile that split his face with glee.

 

        Ray tried to pretend his chest didn’t feel tight, that his pulse didn’t just rise, that his cheeks suddenly felt warm, that he had butterflies fluttering in his stomach at the sound of James’ laugh, the word that came to Ray's mind was beautiful. James’ laugh was beautiful.

 

        “Oh right, by the way, I usually go by Ryan,” The murderous gleeful man smiled and shrugged at the pinched look he received.

 

        “Alright shoo, go away, I wanna take a shower, get this fucking blood off of me,” Ray looked at himself still somewhat covered.

 

        “Can I stay? I was serious when I said you're going to start feeling drained,” James- no Ryan asked politely.

 

         “Fine, just don’t peek you pervert, grab me a towel, there’s one in the cupboard,” Ray asked pulling the black curtain shut and removing his boxers throwing them over the top of the railing that held the curtain in place.

 

         Ryan felt a blush settle on his face, the entire situation has turned. Ray was suddenly different than before, lighter almost. Maybe the younger males recent death was a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are what drive me.


	7. Legends.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yo so much (not very well written) character development happens its the best (not really), serious talk happens and I get a lil crazy with the symbolism and metaphors but eh its what English literature class does to my brain.
> 
> Ray is given a choice and chooses the option no one expected. Geoff finally meets the new immortal. Ryan becomes a hopeless romantic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took my Psychology final and I think I did pretty well! I'm not taking any more early college classes so I should have more time to write! Thank you so much to those of you who've stuck out on my weird uploading schedule, and thank you so much to everyone who's given my work the time of day (or night)! I sincerely appreciate every single one of you whether you comment, kudos, or simply give NC/CO a read!

           Ryan almost couldn't believe that he was back in the same room as Ray, that he had the permission needed to non-creepily watch over Ray as he slept, ever vigilant and ever worried that the CFDS wasn't over. Ray's window was open, letting the wistful night breeze over them both, listening to mechanical life rush by on the rivers of dark and violent semi-solid petroleum. But, Ryan knew the Palos Verdes Blue's fluttering in the heat of his chest would rot and the innocent being living within would finally go extinct. The innocuous Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis would finally, after years of vicious treatment and pollution of its airways, be laid to silently rest below the surface of the assassin's lifeline, the only antidote to his neverending poison.

 

           Geoff had already sent and received numerous text messages from the killer letting him and the others know that Ray was okay, for now. There was nothing to do, but wait for Ray to wake up again… Ryan was worried, to say the least, would Ray still be pissed? More than likely, yes. Would Ray still hate him? Probably. Would Ray still be angry with his friends? Hopefully not. All of these questions and more circled through the killer's brain almost constantly, Ryans dry eyes fluttered like a garage door, open- close- open- close- open- close- open- close- open… His willpower couldn't overcome his circadian rhythm after far too long of this process on repeat. Thankfully eventually the man fell as light as a boulder onto the side of Ray's bed, his breathing slow and heart rate to match. 

 

           The young sniper did indeed awake in a slight rage when he remembered what happened the night prior, he looked about his coldly dark room only for his eyes to land on a rough outline of blurs and color. Ray stretched his arm feeling around for his glasses, his brows pinched in frustration. Settling his glasses on his face was the most normal he had felt in months, the familiar routine outweighing the heaviness in his young heart for a bittersweet moment of peace. Looking over at the blurb, the Puerto Rican felt his rigidness melt, there he witnessed a sight to see, the estranged murderer of a man sleeping with pinched brows and a guilt-ridden demeanor. 

 

           No way in hell would I forgive this man anytime soon, thought Ray as he watched J-Ryan with a conflicting heart. A slight buzzing caught Ray's attention, if he hadn't been so wired from spotting Ryan he would have mistaken the noise for a fly or bee that found its merry way into his bedroom, Ray reached for the buzzing device and unlocked it. The phone wasn't his, it was Ryans.

 

> **Geoff:** Has he woken up yet? 

 

> **Geoff:** Where tf are you?

 

> **Geoff:** Hey jackass, anxswer me!!!!  >:(

 

> **Geoff:** I swear to fuck if youre getting off to this wholoe watching the kid thing imma kill you at least 6 times.

 

> **Geoff:** wait no i made that sound worse than it is… fuck

 

           Ray couldn't fight the small sound that escaped him when he read the text messages, the 19-year-old let out the tiniest laugh that could rival Tinkerbells in how minuscule it was.

 

> **V:** waddup this is said “kid” Vagabitchery is passed out rn.

 

> **Geoff:** Ah shit I fuckin knew the damn idiot wouldnt last.

 

> **V:** LMAO, imma go change his phone background to a dickbutt smoking a joint brb.

 

> **Geoff:** I like you already.

 

> **V:** ;)

 

           Ray couldn't help himself, making everything into a joke was pleasant, It was safe, it felt normal. After doing exactly as he told Geoff he promptly saved the other man's phone number into his own phone. 

 

> **Geoff:** You freaked the fuck outta everyone you bitch

 

> **V:** YOLO.

 

> **Geoff:** My respect for you is dying.

 

> **V:** … Meh

 

> **Geoff:** How about you let bitchface keep sleeping and unlock the door, I wanna talk face to face. Ill be there in 10 or something around that.

 

> **V:** sounds like i dont have much of a choice

 

> **Geoff:** ...Meh

 

           Ray rolled his eyes and slowly padded out of his room, the door shutting with a faint squeak. The younger immortal went over to his storefront door and unlocked the still damaged thing. He took the time to water his wilting plants in hopes of saving as many as he possibly can. Everything that had recently occurred in Ray's life was absolute chaos to him. It was a dreamscape that Ray had not ever thought true, he couldn't keep his head from drifting into the many clouds that hover over his precarious mind. A knock was all the warning Ray was given before his front door opened with a whooshing sound. Out stepped this man whom Ray had yet to formally meet. Ray snorted with the first bout of thoughts that flooded his brain. Hipster was the first thing the younger man thought of, the beard, mustache, tattoos, everything about this supposed terrifying gang leader screamed ultimate hipster.

 

           “What?” Geoff asked with a preciously confused expression. 

 

           Ray shook his head not trusting himself to speak at the moment. Geoff rolled his eyes and took a long proper look around the store area of the shop.

 

           “Nice little place you've got here,” Geoff nodded as he spoke.

 

           “Yeah, it’s home,” Ray agreed without a moment's thought.

 

           “I have a proposition for you, a business deal of sorts,” Geoff stated cryptically. 

 

           “Shoot, well don't actually I'll definitely shoot back- what's up,” Ray let himself have a small ramble, the delay settling his jittery veins.

 

           “You're late on your taxes,” Geoff stated simply.

 

           Ray raised an eyebrow, “Do I even wanna know how you know this?”

 

           “You will if you accept. Join FAHC, we can teach you about your immortality, I’ll pay you and help fund the flowers,” Geoff walked around as he spoke completely business even with his absurd appearance. 

 

           His voice was strong, but not forceful. A heavy rock being pulled with a calming river. Ray had to pause and replay the words in his head to realize what was just offered to him. 

 

           “What?” He asked intelligently.

 

           “I'm offering you a place in what will be Los Santos’ most formidable gang they'll ever see. LS won't even know what hit them until it's too late,” Geoff accompanied his words with a hefty smirk, “We’re in need of a sniper at the moment and happen to know you have exactly the skill that we need.”

 

           Ray was still reeling from the offer, “I don't…” Ray took that moment to look at the door leading to the stairs to his bedroom where a certain member of FAHC was currently sleeping. 

 

           “If you're worried about him, don't be, he knows how to stay professional,” Geoff gave a small smile that Ray almost identified as sympathetic, “Besides he won't be a problem for you unless you want him to be, at this point you could probably tell him to destroy the Eiffel Tower and he probably would,” Geoff shook his head and rubbed a tattooed hand over his rough face.

 

           Ray nods ignoring the last remark, “Okay, fine,” he shrugged and tried not to laugh at the quick flash of shock on Geoff’s face.

 

           Geoff hadn't expected Ray to accept that quickly, he had this whole speech lined up about all the benefits Ray would get in working with them and it was useless. 

 

           “Great, let's go wake up the dumbass and head to our safe house in the desert, get you acquainted with the other assholes,” Geoff said as he clapped his hands together, he had so many plans, so many.

 

           Ray looked at the door again and sighed, he may end up regretting this decision very quickly. The sniper reluctantly turned and slowly made his way to his bedroom where Ryan was. 

 

           Ray climbed up to what he was beginning to believe is his kryptonite. His Achilles heel. Every bad thing that's ever happened to him wrapped up into one entity with a pretty stone ribbon. Ray refused to believe anything good could come from what has happened or what will happen.

 

           Ray refuses to call him James. He’s never known a James. James was a lie, a figment, a ghost of what could have been and Ray has never been one to dwell on what could have been. Ever a futurist, he would say. Ray found it disgusting that this man could sleep so peaceably, that Ryan could look so soft in the early dawn glow, sunlight beginning to cascade over his face painting him into an angel. Lucifer would be accurate, Ray thought to himself. He shook his head attempting to rid the hallowing fog that was taking over his senses- he was getting too distracted. 

 

           “Ryan, get the fuck up,” Ray said loudly as he kicked the part of the bed that the older man was leaning on. 

 

           Ryan had fallen asleep on the floor, but with his head braced on his arms and his arms on the bed. The Vagabond startled whipping his head up in a daze, he hadn't realized that he fell asleep, when had he done so? Ryan looked up into the brown eyes of a very pissed off sniper. 

 

           “Geoff’s here, we're all going back to your crew's safehouse in the desert. Let's go,” Rays voice was cold steel encased in ice in the middle of the Arctic, a frozen wasteland created solely to execute any hope that Ryan had in their relationship being rekindled… At least not any time soon, he had eternity to make it up to the younger immortal after all. 

 

           “If looks could kill,” Ryan said to himself after Ray quickly grabbed the duffel bag that was on his floor, and promptly turned, walking away with a vengeance.

 

           The killer quickly composed himself, slipping on his mask before following the other. Ryan looked over at Geoff once he was in the shop area, a smirk was plastered onto Geoff's pale face. Ryan knew the other man was reeling in this, only taking the positives not even considering the negatives of his decision at this point in time. 

 

           The three climbed into Geoff's silver car- the cramped thing was supposed to be inconspicuous, but really at this point, it was just annoying. The drive to the warehouse was far too long, Not Ryan nor Ray dared to sleep for a moment, Ray was busy memorizing the route to the warehouse- and by that I mean he was taking pictures of street signs with his 3DS. Ryan, on the other hand, was trying to go over ways that he could convince Ray not to hate him. He was coming up short on that one.

 

           Eventually, the trio arrived at the building, Ray stepped out with an eyebrow raised and his bag hanging from his loose grip. His muscles tense without notice. Geoff clapped his hands together, a habit that was starting to annoy everyone around, and turned to Ray with a smug look. He walked over to the door and knocked four times. 

 

           “What you jackass? You have the fucking key just open the damn door!” An angry yell startled Ray into laughter.

 

           “Dude, this place is a shithole,” Ray commented as he followed Geoff inside. 

 

           Michael and Gavin paused their game with twin curses once they spotted the sniper, Jack looked up from her own controller. The air was heavy in something none of them could fully place. 

 

           “Gen E is like 80 times better than this shit,” Ray snorted when he saw the game they were playing. 

 

           Nobody in the room knew how to respond to that, everything about this was odd to them.

 

           “Right, so I'm just gonna go over here now,” Ray said awkwardly before walking to the other side of the room where an unclaimed recliner sat abandoned before he gracefully plopped down onto it.

 

           “Ray’s a part of the group now. Ray, Michael, Michael, Ray. Gavin, Ray, Ray, Gavin. Ray, Jack, Jack, Ray. There we go formalities out of the way. Gavin is our hacker, Michael’s our demolitions, Jack is the best driver in LS, And you already know this prick.” Geoff cocked his thumb in Ryan’s direction.

 

           Everyone noticed the sour look on Rays face when Geoff referenced the Vagabond. Just as fast as Ray garnered this look he moved his eyes to Gavin, presentation staying how it was.

 

           “Yeah, I know of Gavin and Jack already too,” Ray said with a monotone voice. 

 

           “Right, yes.” Geoff cleared his throat obviously not expecting such a reaction from the youngest male.

 

           Ryan knew this would be a disaster.

 

\--

 

           It was two pensive days before Geoff came up with another heist plan. They were both excited to utilize Ray's skill in active jobs. 

 

           “Alright, shitheads c’mon. This is gonna help us get some property down in the city,” Geoff stated with a steadfast pace, a fire building in his Blue Curaçao filled eyes.

 

           The crew leader stood over the heist table, moving manilla folders around and taking out printed pictures of different buildings in the city. The six other members stood waiting to hear the full plan. Geoff unfolded a large map of the entire state with vigor.

 

           “Alright, here it is. We're gonna take over Campers territory.”

 

           The rest of the gang had varying reactions to the news. Campers were once a subset of The Roosters- one of the strongest gang in Los Santos. Despite that being a fact, Campers found a way to become independent from the formidable boss’. Gavin nodded after running a hand through his sandy hair, he looked over at Michael who had a large smile cemented on his freckled face. Michael shot a glance to Jack who threw a sigh to her close friend and leader. The Vagabond turned to catch Rays pinched gaze. Michael caught onto this as well.

 

           “What?” Michael abrasively questioned the newest crew member.

 

           “I used to run for them,” His statement was lax and lazy, his mind was spinning thinking of the way Campers would react to this.

 

           “Run what?” Michael asked confused, Lindsay never mentioned something like this.

 

           “Weed, they paid me to grow it in my basement and sell it to their clients. I got 50% of all profits,” He shrugged as if it meant nothing.

 

           “Well, we can use that. Ray, you can set up a sort of meeting with them? We could completely wipe them out and take them over- absorb any of the ones who aren't loyal. We need B team members,” Geoff affirmed.

 

           “Yeah, I could do that.” Ray looked pointedly at Michael trying to figure out what his issue was.

 

           “Great! That'll accelerate my plans a bit, but the plans can adapt.” Geoff shrugged at his own words.

 

           “Alright, so we meet the leaders and cap em, then what?” Michael asked.

 

           “We take their block. They own at least eight buildings in the area, and that'll be what you're doing Gav, find out as much as possible about these people so we can use it.” 

 

           Gavin nodded and Geoff smiled.

 

           “We’re gonna take down a gang, boys, and lady!” 

 

           “This is gonna go terrible,” Ray stated yet went unheard other than Ryan, who fully agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays to all of you! I hope everybody has a happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Yuletide, and/or Merry Christmas, as well as any other celebrations that I do not know of!


	8. Heist part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heisting is done, minimal planning is set.
> 
> The crew set out a (not very detailed) plan for their next heist, but in order to complete that heist the crew needs more weapons, so what do they do? Mini heist! Geoff plays his hand at matchmaker extraordinaire!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys, I'm back! The end of the semester caught me way off guard and then my brilliancy decided to start another fic series other than this one, so I've been trying to finish it completely before posting any more chapters (Which i should have done with this)

           “Alright, so I’ve got us some info. The Campers have nine buildings on the block, and Ray was most certainly not permitted to have fifty percent of his profits,” Gavin looked at the said male in question.  
  
           “What? I never said they gave me fifty percent, just that I got fifty percent,” Ray shrugged casually, smirking at the incredulous look that he received from the others.  
  
           “Right, so, Campers have a total of eighteen core members and a plethora of side members like Ray, they deal mostly with soft drugs so we can assume, until physical recon, that they have no heavy weapons, prolly don’t think anyone would come after them at all,” Gavin informed.  
  
           “Almost feel bad for the poor gang… almost,” Jack quipped earning a laugh from Geoff.  
  
           “Alright, Ray get in contact, say you need another run, Michel and Jack are gonna’ scope out their headquarters, Vagabond, you're on collection duty, take Ray with you- we're gonna need more ammunition and weapons- Personally, I'm not too fond of having to pay for them,” Geoff ordered.  
  
           Ray’s eyes met Ryans in a silent conversation. The others were watching them with weary gazes, Geoff hoping they would play nice, and Gavin hoping their death count would be limited to at least four by the end of the night.  
  
           "Well? Let's go," Ray said, knowing there'd be no getting out of this.  
  
           Ray was trying his best to keep everyone at arm's length, if he's a dick to them, they won't get attached which means when shit inevitably hits the fan, and it will, he won't be attached. It was the perfect strategy, so why was it this difficult?   
  
           Ryan followed Ray out of the warehouse and into Ryan’s car. Well, to the Vagabond, this was unexpected, to say the least. Ryan would have never thought that after what happened Geoff would shove them together like this.   
  
           The two drove in silence, save for the radio playing meaningless songs.  
  
           “Who is Geoff okay with us pissing off?” Ray asked not looking up from his phone.  
  
           “Anyone who isn't us or RWBY at the moment,” Ryan responds indifferently, hoping Ray will somehow magically stop being pissesd at him.  
  
           Alright, next question: who can we fuck over that has no connection to RWBY?” Ray shut off his game and looked over at Ryan.  
  
           “I know where we can get what we need,” Ryan said after a few silent moments of thought.  
  
           Ryan turned the vehicle abruptly and completed a U-turn before heading farther into the desert and passed where the warehouse was. After another hour of driving, they were at a farm not too far from the beach.  
  
           “Who’s out here?” Ray asked surveying the area through the window of Ryan’s car.  
  
           “Nobody that matters,” Ryan gave a dismissive answer.   
  
           “A heist for a heist, somehow this seems just a bit excessive,” Ray commented boredly, ignoring the nerves bubbling up.  
  
           Ryan parked his vehicle behind a large patch of foliage on the outskirts of the farm. He carefully stepped out and walked around to the trunk of his car, pulling out a large black duffel bag that rested behind an inconspicuous panel. Ray had followed the man after grabbing his own bag, making sure to keep James in his immediate viewpoint.   
  
           The Vagabond handed over a modified nine millimeter to Ray and brought out a double barrel 22. As well as a semi-auto.  
  
           “Thanks,” Ray answered automatically when given the gun.   
  
           “There are five entrances here, it's a lot of ground to cover, but I get the feeling you won't have any issues there,” Ryan began the planning process.  
  
           “And of course you're so good at this that you won't either,” Ray’s sarcasm was his best defense against compliments from pretty men.  
  
           “Are you- Ray, just listen to me for once, two of the entrances are garage doors so unless they’re currently open they shouldn’t be too much of an issue, they have patrols, so there’ll be at least one person at each main door entrance, we’re going to go through the side door on the left, this place is small so it’s going to be different from what you're used to,” Ryan laid out part of his plan.  
  
           “How many people are we talking here?”   
  
           “Dozen at the most, but they aren't the best trained so it won't be onerous,” He nodded, speaking slowly through the mask.  
  
           “Dude, I don't even know what that means, but fuck it, whatever, yolo,” Ray shrugged and checked the magazine of the gun that Ryan handed to him.  
  
           Ray opened his own bag and pulled out his modified bright pink sniper rifle. Ray assembled his gun like he was playing a video game, all of his attention was on each minor detail. Attaching the sling, Ray laid the strap over his chest with the gun against his back.   
  
           “What type of bullets do you use?” Ray asked curiously popping one out of the mag, the bullets were completely black with a red tip.  
  
           “My own,” Ryan answered.  
  
           “Fuckin’ nerd,” Ray snorted.  
  
           Ryan shot Ray a displeased look before turning and stalking towards the small farmhouse.  
  
           The farmhouse wouldn't be described as modest, more rundown. Ray could see sections of foundation connected to the remaining parts of the small building, the lasting house was not tiny by any means it was fairly large, but not quite large enough to make Ray feel safer with the distance, not that it mattered.  
  
           The vagabond turned and motioned for Ray to flank the right while he went to the left, as his plan deemed.  
  
           The sniper had, by now reassembled his borrowed handgun and flipped off the safety. He quietly stepped toward the East entrance. A man stood holding a semi-auto rifle on one hand while smoking with the other, a loud bang went off signaling Ray to quickly shoot the man before he reacted. The smoking man’s blood sprayed outward before he dropped.   
  
           Ray made his way inside of the small farmhouse, shooting two more now alerted guards in the kitchen. He saw Ryan shoot a man at the kitchen table, Ryan gestured for Ray to go down the open staircase into the basement, Ryan turned heading to the staircase up to the next floor. Six more shots were heard as Ray made his way into the out of code basement.  
  


           Around the corner Ray saw two guards trying to put files and packages into a section of the wall, a third guard stood behind them looking to the other side of the hall, Ray quickly turned the corner and let off several shots, all hitting the third guard in various areas, Two to the chest, and one through the throat and into the back of guard number two.    
  


           Ray whipped back around the corner, avoiding the following three shots let off by the first guard. Ray could hear the woman curse and yell at her incapacitated partner. He turned the corner and shot the woman in the leg before shooting her and the other still alive guard in the head and heart. Ray quickly went through the other rooms, clearing them out.   
  
           “Vagabond, we’re clear!” Ray yelled up the stairs.   
  
           Ryan walked in front of the doorway to the basement stairs and motioned for Ray to come up, Ryan looked down at his phone, sending Ray a quick message to tell him to go back to the car and drive it over.  
  
           It only took the pair about ten minutes to collect everything and pile it all into the trunk and backseat of Ryan's car, after this was done they both began the hour-long drive to the warehouse.   
  
           “Pull over,” Ray said quickly, the two were twenty minutes into their drive when Ray broke the silence.   
  
           “Are you okay?” Ryan had already begun to feel worried about his ex-friend (ex almost lover?), Ray had been breathing heavily since they got into the car.   
  
           “Pull over,” Ray said with a pause between words.   
  
           Ryan pulled off of the dirt road onto a stretch of vacant desert. Ray struggled with his seatbelt before he launched himself out of the car and onto the ground, heaving. Ryan quickly got out of the vehicle and all but ran over to Ray's side.  
  
           “Shit, I should have never handed you a gun, you still haven't been practicing, shit, are you okay?”  
  
           Eventually, Ray was able to regain a bit of composure and sat up, laying his head back against the side of the seat, having never closed the car door.

“I’m fine, I just- I need a minute,” Ray said, angry at himself for acting like this in front of the Vagabond.  
  
           “I called Geoff, you're officially benched until we absolutely need you or you get this under control,” Ryan sighed, sitting down next to the younger Immortal.  
  
           “This ever happen to you?” Ray asked opening his eyes and looking over at Ryan.  
  
           Ryan was sitting cross-legged and looking up at the sun, Ray sitting with one leg bent and his arm resting on top of it. Ray noticed that at some point Ryan had taken off his mask.   
  
           “This happened to all of us.” Ryan turned to look at Ray, quickly becoming restlessly aware of their close proximity.

 

           Ray quickly turned his head away, equally aware of how close he and James were. 

 

           “This is all kinda fucked up,” Ray stated eliciting a laugh from Ryan. 

 

           “Yeah, I feel like we should be drinking right now or whatever other movie tropes there are.”

 

           “Gross.”

 

           “Yeah.” 

 

           Ryan chances a light smile, one that only Ray had seen when Ryan was James. Ray couldn't help but stare, thinking on their time together, Ryan met his gaze.

           

           “I wish I could hate you,” Ray stated wistfully before looking away.

 

           “You don't? You were pretty convincing to me,” Ryan stated an amused lilt accompanying his voice. 

 

           “I wish I could hate all of you,” Ray ignored Ryan's response. 

 

           “Why? I get me, but why the others, Okay maybe I could get hating Gavin,” Ryan joked eliciting a light amused puff of air from the other.

 

           “I have a bad feeling about this.”

 

           “About what? The heist?”

 

           “No, maybe? All of it, something doesn't feel right, I don't know why,” Ray ran a hand over his face, taking off his glasses for a moment to do so. 

 

           “Yeah, I don't think Geoff has told us everything,” Ryan agreed.

 

           “Why? Isn’t he your friend or something like that?” Ray asked.

 

           “No, I wouldn’t say we’re friends, we have mutual respect for one another, that's it,” Ryan shrugged.

 

           “Really? Somehow I doubt that even you believe that,” Ray looked around at the blue sky above.

 

           “You're smarter than people give you credit for,” Ryan said gazing at Ray.

 

           “Oh yeah, I'm a genius, finally the recognition I deserve,” Ray joked. 

 

           “Ray.”

 

           “What?”

 

           “Can we start over?”

 

           “It won't make much of a difference, but sure,” Ray sighed.

 

           “Hey, I’m James, but people usually only know me by Ryan, oh and I’m also immortal and a serial murderer slash assassin, I like knives a lot too” Ryan held out his hand towards Ray.

 

           Ray gave a small laugh at that.

 

           “Okay, I'll give, Hey James, I’m Ray, I'm also immortal and a serial murderer slash assassin, I prefer a nice rifle to a close quarter fight but eh, knives are cool too,” Ray smiled as he spoke and shook Ryan’s hand

 

           “We should get back soon, mother hen Geoff will get worried,” Ryan said as he stood up.

 

           “Is Jack papa hen than?”

 

           “Hah- most definitely.” Ryan held up his hand and pulled Ray up before going to his own side of the car. 

 

           The two began their journey back to the warehouse once again. 

 

           “Is it bad to say that I missed talking to you?” Ryan asked quickly glancing over at his passenger. 

 

           “Christ you sound like a lovesick teen,” Ray rolled his eyes, pointedly looking away from the man, his face feeling warmer than it had with the desert heat before. 

 

           “Fucking asshole,” Ryan quipped, pulling his mask back on. 

  
           “That's what he said.”

  
           The rest of the ride back to the warehouse was spent in comfortable silence between the two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for being so patient with my terrible posting schedule!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are beautiful!

**Author's Note:**

> -If you have ANY questions about ANY of my works, feel free to message me @ Rey#7421 on discord!
> 
> -Also, the Raywood writers group chat is still open for people to join! Someone reported the post I had made and had it taken down! If you have any questions about the group chat or would like to join, message me on discord! (Rey#7421)


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